Security forces protecting former President Donald Trump are coming under question again after he survived a second assassination attempt within two months.
This time it appears no bullets were fired at him as agents spotted a gunman in time to keep Trump safe, but members of Congress including Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) are asking how an armed man was again able to get so close to the GOP presidential nominee.
“If they need more resources from Congress, if the Secret Service needs some type of new technology, if they need more resources to local law enforcement, let us in Congress know,” Waltz said on Fox News. “This isn’t something we can think about down the road.”
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe had assured a Congressional task force that President Joe Biden ordered Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have the same level of protection as the current president, Waltz claimed.
But Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters Sunday afternoon that wasn’t the case.
“At this level that he is at right now, he’s not the sitting president,” Bradshaw said. “If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded. But because he’s not, security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible. I would imagine that the next time he comes on the golf course, there will probably be a lot more people around the perimeter. “
The Congressional task force investigating Trump’s first assassination, of which Waltz is a member, released a statement saying it is looking for more information about the new assassination attempt.
“We have requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded,” it said. “We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms. The Task Force will share updates as we learn more.”
Former Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle was forced to resign in the fallout of the first assassination attempt against Trump, which came in July.
Waltz also blamed political rhetoric saying Trump will be a dictator or another Adolf Hitler for putting his life in danger.
“It has got to stop,” he said. “Enough is enough. Stop it, on the Left, from doing this.”
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer says Trump should be treated by security as if he is already president.
“After two unsuccessful assassination attempts against Trump, the USSS should stop treating him as a candidate,” he wrote. They need to treat him as they would a sitting POTUS, especially by expanding the protective perimeter around him. Stop being bureaucratic. Do what’s necessary.
The suspect has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh.
Authorities during an evening press briefing said they found several objects in the bushes where the suspect was spotted, including an AK-47 style rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile in them hung on the fence, and a GoPro camera he apparently planned to film with.
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who heads the Congressional task force, said its members have already had a conference call about the new attempt on Trump’s life.
“I can’t imagine being Mr. Trump or any of the Trump children and knowing that their father now has been targeted twice,” Kelly said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for the Secret Service to be moved back into the Treasury Department and out of the Department of Homeland Security.
“Also, it is time to increase resources,” he posted on X.
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