In response to recent assassination attempts on former US President Donald Trump, security measures around him will be heightened, NBC News reported on Monday, citing a Secret Service official. The increased protection comes in light of the incidents that took place during a rally in Pennsylvania in July, when a lone gunman fired several shots at Trump, grazing his ear and killing one audience member while injuring two others.
Earlier this month, another would-be assassin was arrested by the Secret Service near a Trump-owned golf course in Florida after being seen seemingly attempting to shoot the former president. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was found with a Soviet-made rifle and a backpack containing armor plates. In light of these events, an agency official told NBC News that “Given recent events, the Secret Service is taking a heightened posture in its protection of the former president.
The new security measures are already in place, as demonstrated on Monday when Trump disembarked his plane in Pennsylvania with a Secret Service agent closely following him. The US House of Representatives recently passed legislation aimed at increasing protections for presidential nominees, including Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, by requiring the Secret Service to apply “the same standards for determining the number of agents required to protect presidents, vice presidents, and major presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Congressman Mike Lawler, who introduced the legislation, emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of these candidates. He stated that “We as a federal government have a responsibility to ensure the safety and the well-being of these candidates. One of them is going to be president, and the election should be decided by voters at the ballot box — not by an assassin’s bullet.” Lawler added that if the Secret Service claims they lack sufficient resources or personnel, this issue must be addressed immediately.