The US Secret Service recently responded to a Washington Post report that agency officials had “repeatedly” rejected requests for security personnel for former President Trump.
The report comes just one week after former President Donald Trump was shot while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he will be the 2024 presidential nominee.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was spotted by attendees before the shooting began.
The Post reported that top Secret Service officials “repeatedly” rejected requests for increased security measures from Trump’s security forces ahead of the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump, with one official speaking to the Post on condition of anonymity.
According to reports, investigators in charge of Trump’s security have requested additional security resources in the past. These requests have included magnetic detectors and more personnel to screen guests. They have also reportedly requested more snipers in the past.
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On July 13, 2024, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was photographed with blood running down his face and surrounded by Secret Service agents as he was escorted off stage at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
Senior Secret Service officials reportedly told agents the agency didn’t have the resources to fulfill the requests, though The Washington Post reviewed several of the requests, none of which were related to Butler’s rally.
On Saturday night, the Secret Service released a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, explaining that the agency has a “broad, dynamic and complex mission.”
“Every day, we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure the safety and security of our protectees across a variety of events, travel and other challenging environments,” the statement read. “We execute a comprehensive, layered strategy to balance personnel, technology and specialized operational needs.”
The Secret Service added that even if a request is denied, it will try to accommodate in some way to ensure the safety of those it protects.
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Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump was shot on stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and was protected by Secret Service agents. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“In cases where specialized Secret Service units or resources were not provided, authorities have made changes to ensure the safety of protected subjects,” the statement added. “This may include leveraging state and local partners to provide specialized capabilities or identifying alternatives to reduce protected subjects’ exposure to the public.”
In the interview, which will premiere on Fox News Channel at 8 p.m. ET on Monday night, Trump told host Jesse Watters that he had received no warning about Crooks, even though the shooter had been seen.
“How did somebody get on that roof?” Trump asked Watters. “And since everybody knew he was on that roof, why wasn’t it reported?”
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump raises his arms as he is hurried off the stage by Secret Service in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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“When the Trump supporters were there, a woman in a red shirt yelling, ‘There’s a man on the roof,’ and other people were yelling, ‘There’s a man on the roof and he has a gun’ … that was long before I got onstage. I knew someone was going to do something about it,” he added.
