FIRST ON FOX: Republican senators are demanding the Secret Service (USSS) increase former President Donald Trump’s security following a second assassination attempt against him in just over two months.
“It is imperative that the USSS detail assigned to President Trump be afforded additional protective resources, including greater staffing capabilities that would allow agents to secure a broader perimeter,” Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., penned in a letter to Acting Director Ronald Rowe on Tuesday.
The second assassination attempt took place on Sunday at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the former president was golfing. Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested after he allegedly pushed the muzzle of an SKS rifle through the chain-link fence around the course.
GOP senators are demanding increased security from the Secret Service for former President Donald Trump. (Reuters)
The Secret Service opened fire after the suspect was seen raising the firearm, and Routh fled in a black Nissan before being apprehended.
Marshall and Tuberville, joined by six other senators, including, Sens. James Risch, R-Idaho, Mike Lee, R-Utah, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., requested that Rowe and the Secret Service “designate President Trump as a protectee with the same level of protective resources afforded to a sitting president.”
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“In two months, there have been two unprecedented assassination attempts on President Trump’s life. Enough is enough, the current level of Secret Service protection around President Trump is insufficient,” Senator Marshall said. “It is clear to every American that the threats to President Trump have reached a level that warrants additional security. That’s why we are demanding that President Trump receive the same amount of security resources as the President and Vice President. We are not a third-world country. Keeping President Trump safe is non-negotiable and remains paramount; any response less than this or debate around his safety and security is unacceptable,” Marshall said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
In his own statement, Tuberville said, “After twoassassination attemptsin 65 days, it is clear that the current level of Secret Service protection aroundPresident Trump is completely insufficient.”
“The status quo is completely unacceptable. Former U.S. presidents, and especially those who are running for reelection, should have the best security in the world. We are less than two monthsfromthe election. I am calling on President Biden and Vice President Harris to give President Trump the same Presidential protection they have today. Their silence is deafening. We don’t want more tweets, we want action,” he continued.
The senators asked for “a briefing to Members of Congress and staff regarding the attempts against President Trump’s life, the ongoing threat environment, and how the USSS will continue to operate successfully in their no-fail mission.”
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The suspect is shown being taken away after authorities arrested him for allegedly attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump in Florida. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office)
Additionally, they called on the acting director to provide responses within 10 days to several questions, including what additional protective resources were allocated following the July 13 assassination attempt, and what steps the USSS had taken to further enhance Trump’s protection.
The Republicans referred to a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, indicating that there had been “significant physical and technical enhancements” in July after the first attack.
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Former President Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
The senators referred to a statement made this week by President Biden, in which he claimed that he had directed his administration to “ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former president’s continued safety.”
“What additional protective resources will this order allocate, and how will the USSS further ensure President Trump’s protection?” they questioned.
The Secret Service responded in a statement to Fox News Digital, “We greatly respect the role of Congressional oversight and will respond to any request for briefings or other information through official channels.”
The DHS did not provide immediate comment.
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].
