Former President Trump said his Security Forces had been “requesting more personnel for a long time” even before the July assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and that if there was a “weakness” in efforts to keep him safe, it was the need for more personnel.
President Trump spoke with Fox News host Sean Hannity two days after the second assassination attempt occurred while he was golfing in West Palm Beach.
“We have been asking for a long time for more people, more men and women, more people, and, you know, we have been holding rallies. [of] 50-60,000 [people]”We had 107,000 people in New Jersey. That's more than we've ever had before. We've been asking for more people to come for a long time. That's true. That's the weakness. I really think that's the weakness, if there's a weakness,” he said on “Hannity.”
“We're seeing tremendous rallies and crowds. It's a good thing, but we need more security. We've been asking for more staffing for a long time. We wanted more staffing at Butler. I've heard them say we need more staffing for security, but we never seem to meet that demand. And I think we're getting there now. Someone said they're going to have more staffing now.”
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump addresses supporters during a campaign rally at the World Market Center Las Vegas Expo on September 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Acting Director of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Ronald Rowe Jr. told reporters on Monday that since the assassination attempt on President Trump two months ago, the USSS has taken steps to add assets to the 2024 Republican candidate's “already heightened security posture.”
Multiple Secret Service agents placed on administrative leave following Trump assassination attempt
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) have introduced bipartisan legislation that seeks to give both President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris the same USSS resources as President Biden.
“After this latest attempt, this absolutely must be done,” Lawler said. she wrote in a social media post. On X, formerly known as Twitter.
FBI agents carry boxes of evidence around the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. Ryan Routh was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump by hiding in bushes along the golf course. (via Mega, Fox News Digital)
The suspect in the attempted assassination, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was indicted Monday on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
A Secret Service advance officer spotted what appeared to be a rifle sticking out of trees near Trump's golf course and opened fire, causing Routh to flee.
Trump assassin suspect laughs and smiles at first court appearance in Florida
According to a criminal complaint released by the Department of Justice, he was stopped and detained by local police about 45 minutes after fleeing the scene. Cell phone records indicate Routh was near the trees on the golf course for approximately 12 hours, from 2 a.m. to 1:31 p.m.
Suspected assassin, Ryan Routh, was arrested by police in Florida.
The acting head of the Navy SEALs said Captain Routh did not have visibility of Trump and no shots were fired.
President Trump praised the actions of Secret Service agents who quickly escorted him off the golf course after shots rang out.
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“To be honest with you, I think the Secret Service did a great job. They got me out of there quickly. And then they went after him. [Routh]and luckily there was a guy who stole the license plate, which is genius. And they arrested him on the highway. But that was… another day,” he told Hannity. “It was a very interesting story. I… we want to get on with business. We want to get on with the business of running a country.”
