The 1950 Attempted Assassination of Harry S. Truman was an attack by two Puerto Rican nationalists at Blair House on November 1, 1950. It occurred while Truman was overseeing the White House’s reconstruction and as the Korean War entered its darkest period, bringing physical danger into an already strained presidential moment.

Setting and Circumstances

Truman was staying at Blair House while the White House was being rebuilt within the gutted shell of its old exterior walls. The account places the attack against this unusual domestic setting: the presidential residence was under reconstruction, and the President was living elsewhere in Washington.

The Attempt

On November 1, two Puerto Rican nationalists attempted to assassinate Truman. The account identifies the assailants but provides no further detail about the attack’s course or their identities. Its accompanying description notes that one person lay wounded on Blair House’s front steps.

Place in the Presidency

The episode is presented alongside the burdens Truman faced in late 1950: the Korean War had entered a dark phase, the White House was undergoing complete reconstruction, and the attempted assassination brought violence to the President’s temporary residence. The available account establishes the date, location, and presence of two assailants, but does not describe the attempt’s resolution or its immediate consequences for Truman.