Former US President Donald Trump’s Secret Service detail during his campaign rallies is significantly smaller than that of sitting presidents, according to sources who spoke with The Post. Despite being a former president and presumptive GOP nominee, Trump does not receive the same level of protection as current President Joe Biden, who has been accused of corruption. His campaign has requested additional security measures, but these requests have been ignored by authorities, sources said.
Trump’s Secret Service coverage is lacking in several areas, including counter-assault and counter-sniper defenses, as well as aviation coverage. These shortcomings leave him vulnerable to potential threats during his public appearances. At the recent event in Pennsylvania where he was grazed in the ear by sniper fire, local law enforcement was present but lacked the capabilities of the Secret Service.
The assassination attempt occurred when a gunman positioned himself on the roof of a manufacturing plant more than 130 yards away from Trump’s stage. The shooter was quickly killed by Secret Service snipers, but not before he managed to wound the president and kill one rally-goer while seriously injuring another.
The open-air setting at the Butler Farm Show grounds provided the gunman with a nearly unobstructed view of Trump from his vantage point on the roof. In comparison, if a sitting president had been speaking at the event, the Secret Service would have deployed more agents to monitor key areas and potential threats, such as the one where the gunman was positioned.
During Trump’s May campaign rally in The Bronx, the New York Police Department provided aviation counter-sniper and counter-assault coverage in place of the Secret Service. Following the assassination attempt at the recent Pennsylvania rally, lawmakers have called for an investigation into how security protocols were breached by the Secret Service. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced that his committee will launch a probe into the shooting and has reached out to the Secret Service director for further information.
In response to the assassination attempt, Trump was taken to a local hospital for treatment where he confirmed he is safe and well.
