After two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump in two months, with the latest thwarted on Sunday, members of a congressional select committee say the Secret Service is underfunded and understaffed.
“The Secret Service made it very clear to us [last Thursday] “They're pushing the envelope, they're working overtime, they're working double overtime,” Rep. Mike Kelly, chairman of the Select Committee on the Assassination Attempt of Donald Trump, told America's Newsroom.
“These people are exhausted.
“I keep hearing that they don't have enough staff, they don't have enough funding,” the Pennsylvania Republican continued. “They claim they don't have enough people to staff them.”
Witnesses saw Trump assassin suspect fleeing bushes, took photos of getaway car
The Trump International Golf Club will be held on Monday, September 16, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynn Sladky)
Rep. Jason Crow said the staffing shortages are the result of a four-fold increase in threats against lawmakers.
Previously, Rep. Mike Walz told Fox News Digital that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had rejected repeated requests from the Trump campaign to beef up the Secret Service.
Crow and Kelly said the assassination attempt may have been sparked by the “heat” of political debate in America.
Who is Ryan Wesley Routh: Trump Golf Club Suspect
Ryan Routh, the suspected assassin of former President Donald Trump, was seen being taken into custody on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in body camera footage released Monday. (Martin County Sheriff's Office)
“Political violence has no place in our country. Republicans and Democrats must come together and say, 'This is unacceptable and it should never happen,'” said Crow, a Colorado Democrat. “You don't have to belong to one party or the other to condemn this. In America, we solve problems through discussion and dialogue, and we need to focus on that. All our leaders need to make that clear.”
The task force said in a statement that it was “monitoring” the second assassination attempt and had requested a report from the US Secret Service on what happened and how security forces responded.
“While we are grateful that the former president was not harmed, we remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in any form,” the statement said. “The task force will share updates as more information becomes available.”
The second assassination attempt was allegedly planned by Ryan Wesley Routh at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, with Routh taking aim about 300-500 yards away from the former president and then leaving behind a rifle equipped with a scope.
Democrats call for Secret Service to expand Trump's security perimeter: 'Unacceptable'
Police officers stand outside the Paul G. Rogers Federal Courthouse ahead of the appearance of Ryan W. Routh, an alleged suspect in the assassination attempt on former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, on Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Reuters/Marco Bello)
Ryan Wesley Routh appears in court on gun charges in Trump assassination attempt
Authorities said a Secret Service agent shot at Trump after seeing a rifle pointed through a chain link fence one hall away from where Trump was playing.
Authorities said Routh fled in an SUV after Secret Service agents fired shots at him, but he was quickly arrested.
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The suspected assassin appeared in U.S. Court at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building on Monday morning.
