Man who threatened to kill Trump hid at golf course for 12 hours undetected
According to official documents, the US Secret Service is working with roughly 400 fewer personnel than Congress has approved as the 2024 presidential election approaches its conclusion.
PTC News Desk: Two months after Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, a gunman managed to hide undetected for nearly 12 hours at the edge of the golf course where Trump was playing on Sunday. This lapse occurred under the watch of the U.S. Secret Service, which is currently grappling with significant staffing shortages.
The agency is operating with approximately 400 fewer employees than authorized by Congress, and the situation is unlikely to improve before the November 5 election, as it typically takes over 200 days to fill vacant positions.
The Secret Service's current strain is exacerbated by recent changes in the political landscape. Following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the re-election race in July, Vice President Kamala Harris has become the Democratic presidential candidate in a tight contest against Trump. This shift has necessitated an expansion of protective coverage to a broader range of officials, placing unprecedented demands on the agency.
Kenneth Valentine, a former Secret Service agent, described the situation as the most challenging he has seen. “The pace, the expectations, the pressure has never been worse than it is right now,” he said.
Trump’s decision to play golf at one of his Florida clubs on Sunday meant that routine site surveys were not conducted, which might have revealed the presence of the alleged gunman before Trump came within a few hundred yards of his location. The gunman, identified as Ryan Routh, had hidden near the fifth hole of Trump International Golf Club with an AK-47-style rifle and food.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, who took over in July after the resignation of the former leader following Trump's earlier assassination attempt, acknowledged the high stress levels experienced by his agents. “We are redlining them,” Rowe stated at a news conference on Monday.
Despite potential additional funding from Congress, which Democrats and Republicans are considering in the coming weeks, immediate relief is unlikely. The agency’s personnel shortage forces agents to work long hours under intense pressure.
The severity of the staffing issues was underscored by a July 13 incident in Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired six shots at a Trump rally, killing a bystander and grazing Trump's ear. Although Secret Service agents swiftly moved Trump to safety and neutralized the gunman, agency leaders admitted that the shots should never have been fired.
Rowe expressed his frustration with the security lapses, stating on July 30 that he was "ashamed" of the incident. On Sunday, a Secret Service agent did spot Routh at the golf course and fired at him, preventing him from getting a clear shot at Trump. Routh was apprehended shortly thereafter. However, security experts have questioned why the agency did not detect him earlier.
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Lora Ries, a former top official at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's administration, questioned the agency’s methods. “How was Routh not spotted by an advance team? Did the Secret Service use a drone over the golf course? Dogs? If not, why not?” she asked.
Rowe explained that Trump’s golf outing was not publicly announced, which meant that a thorough security sweep, typical for public events, was not conducted. Trump’s preference for playing at his own courses, which are open to members, adds complexity to security operations compared to past presidents who used military courses that could be closed to the public.
Trump has expressed a desire for increased protection. As a candidate and former president, he receives fewer resources and agents compared to a sitting president.
The Secret Service's staffing issues are significant. As of February, the agency employed 7,879 individuals, falling short of its goal set by former director James Murray to reach 8,305 staff by the end of the year and 10,000 by 2027. Although Congress increased the agency’s budget by 9% this year to support the 2024 election, staffing challenges persist. Only 2% of applicants are typically hired, and the agency has struggled to retain agents who are often lured by higher-paying positions in the private sector.
“The Secret Service does not have the resources, it doesn’t have the bodies,” former agent Bill Gage said, highlighting the ongoing difficulties faced by the agency.
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