Donald Trump Protected: The Secret Service’s Swift Response to Attack”

Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, was shot at during an election rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13. A 20-year-old man fired multiple shots towards Trump, causing an ear injury, though Trump later assured the public he was “fine.” The shooter was then shot and killed by the Secret Service, the government agency tasked with protecting Trump.

Security Breach Raises Questions

Following the assassination attempt, there have been numerous calls for the Secret Service and other security agencies to explain the significant security breach that allowed the shooter to go undetected during the rally. An FBI investigation has been launched to look into the incident.

Eyewitness Accounts and Security Failures

One eyewitness claimed to have seen the shooter climbing the roof of a building approximately 150 meters from Trump, carrying a rifle. He told the BBC that his attempts to alert the police and the Secret Service were met with no response, and shots rang out a few minutes later. An Associated Press analysis of videos and satellite imagery showed that the shooter was able to get “astonishingly close to the stage where the former president was speaking.” https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/donald-trump-shot-us-secret-service-9452868/

Congressional Hearings Announced

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives, announced that panels in the chamber would call officials from the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI for hearings soon. The House oversight panel has also called Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify on July 22.

The United States Secret Service: An Overview

The United States Secret Service was founded in 1865, initially to combat the counterfeiting of US currency. Its role shifted to protecting the President after the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and James A. Garfield were also assassinated in 1865 and 1881, respectively. The US Government archives note that the third assassination of a President in a little over a generation “shook the nation and aroused it to a greater awareness of the uniqueness of the Presidency and the grim hazards that surrounded an incumbent of that Office.” In 1902, the Secret Service assumed full-time responsibility for the President’s safety.

Responsibilities and Personnel

The Secret Service is part of the Department of Homeland Security and employs approximately 3,200 special agents, 1,300 Uniformed Division officers, and more than 2,000 technical, professional, and administrative support personnel.

Who Does the Secret Service Protect?

The Secret Service is mandated to protect the vice president, the president-elect, their immediate families, former presidents and their spouses (except when the spouse remarries), and children of former presidents until age 16, among others. Former Presidents, such as Trump, are entitled to lifelong protection unless they refuse it. The service must also protect “major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election.” Presidential elections are scheduled for November 5 this year. Eligible candidates are identified by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with an advisory committee.

Expansion of Protective Services

Candidates came under the agency’s protection after the assassination of politician Robert Kennedy, who was running to become the Democratic Party’s official candidate for the 1968 presidential elections. Many expected him to win the nomination amid a tight race. The security cover was then expanded to “maintain the integrity of the democratic process and continuity of Government,” according to the agency’s website.

Secret Service Protection Protocols

The Secret Service has the authority to carry firearms and make arrests without warrants for any offense or felony under “reasonable grounds.” Its website states, “We rely on meticulous advance work and threat assessments to identify potential risks to protectees. Our protective work starts long before our physical presence.” The military supports the Secret Service through Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and communications resources. Local police also assist in securing venues such as campaign rallies, and agents from other internal security agencies can help.

Security Measures at Large-Scale Events

Before large-scale events like campaign rallies, agents scan the venue for bombs or other threats. Law enforcement officials typically set up barriers as a perimeter and require all attendees to go through a metal detector to enter the venue. Armed protective agents search all attendees’ bags and even wallets, and many rallygoers are patted down by hand. According to AP, members of the Secret Service’s counter-sniper team and counter-assault team were present at the rally. The counter-sniper team uses long-range binoculars and sniper rifles, while the counter-assault team works to eliminate threats so that other agents can shield and evacuate the person they are protecting. https://globalbuzznetwork.com/former-u-s-president-donald-trump-escapes-assassination-attempt/