Secret Service officials repeatedly rejected Donald Trump's request for extra security in the previous two years last weekend's assassination attemptThe Post has learned.
The 78-year-old former president asked for more officers and magnetometers at major public events he attended, as well as additional snipers for outdoor locations, four people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post, which reported for the first time of the condemnation revelation.
Each request was rejected by senior officials who claimed the agency did not have the resources Trump was asking for, the outlet reported.
Secret Service agents, along with local law enforcement, were responsible for securing the rally when 20-year-old gunman Matthew Thomas Crooks opened fire at the campaign's outdoor rally of the Republican presidential candidate in Pennsylvania last Saturday.
Crooks was lying on a roof just 130 meters away of Trump when he unleashed as many as seven rounds, hitting the politician in the ear and killing an audience member who was sitting backstage. Two others were seriously injured.
Outrage over the security failure led to the federal security agency raise Trump's detail to the same level as President BidenThe Post exclusively reported earlier this week.
The Secret Service initially dismissed claims that someone in the Trump camp called for more help before the deadly shooting as “absolutely false.”
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatlewho has faced mounting pressure to resign in the past week, doubled down on the denials in a meeting with Trump campaign leadership in Wisconsin on Monday, insiders said.
After massive holes in the former president's security team were revealed, however, the agency has changed its tune.
Here's the latest on the assassination attempt on Donald Trump:
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Secret Service, admitted to The Washington Post that the agency had denied Trump's request for extra security, but claimed he only learned of the new information after the tragedy.
Guglielmi told The Post that there were “some cases where specific Secret Service units or resources were not provided,” but that the agency used state or local partners to add protections.
“The Secret Service has a vast, challenging and complex mission,” Guglielmi said in a statement. “Every day we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure our protégés are safe and protected during various events, travel and other challenging environments. We execute a comprehensive and layered strategy to balance staff, technology and specialized operational needs “.
Insiders told The Post that local police were drafted in to the Butler, Pennsylvania rally because Secret Service headquarters denied the former president's request for additional resources.
Trump's personal detail requests resources from Secret Service headquarters (manpower, equipment, technology) that headquarters approves or denies at its discretion.
Only when they were denied would the detail be asked to the field office, which would be filled with all available resources, including local law enforcement.
The extent of security provided to Trump varies from event to event depending on what the local field office can provide, sources told The Post.
Ultimately, Secret Service headquarters is the authority on what resources are allowed to be distributed.
The Secret Service has been heavily criticized for not being able to stop Crooks before shooting at the former president.
Trump has continued in the electoral campaign despite the terrifying experience, this time with enhanced security at your disposal.
On Saturday, he was given a “fairly unprecedented level of police officers” for his indoor event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the presidential hopeful and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, be received by around 14,000 supporters.
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