Trump Promises More Outdoor Rallies, Says Secret Service Will 'Substantially Step Up' After Admitting Shortcomings
Former President Donald Trump has pledged to continue holding outdoor rallies despite a recent assassination attempt at one in Pennsylvania on July 13.
The announcement followed recommendations from the Secret Service to move his campaign events indoors, which some experts interpret as an acknowledgment of their inability to manage outdoor security effectively.
Trump, 78, declared on Truth Social that he would persist with outdoor rallies and that the Secret Service has promised to "substantially step up their operation."
"They are very capable of doing so," Trump wrote.
During a recent statement, Trump praised the Secret Service agents who protected him, commending their swift response and specifically highlighting a female agent who shielded him during the attack. He also criticized the media for unfairly targeting her due to her height.
Michael Balboni, a former New York lawmaker and Homeland Security adviser, criticized the Secret Service's advice to avoid outdoor rallies, calling it an indication of their failure to adapt. He questioned why the Secret Service, with its extensive resources, cannot manage outdoor events as it has in the past.
Balboni argued that confining a candidate to indoor events might be unprecedented and compared it to how security was handled for Barack Obama, suggesting that Trump's high-profile status requires enhanced security rather than limitations on event venues.
The FBI is investigating the motives of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted the assassination, and additional inquiries by Congress and other agencies are examining the security lapses that allowed him to bring a rifle close to Trump.
Bill Gage, a retired Secret Service agent, predicted increased scrutiny for the agency and emphasized that future outdoor events will be heavily monitored. Trump has announced plans for another rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to honor a bystander killed by Crooks's stray bullet.
