Lawmakers want briefing on Trump security after assassination attempt
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(NewsNation) — U.S. Secret Service acting Director Ronald Rowe is heading to Florida, where he’ll likely speak with former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of an apparent assassination attempt.
The congressional task force investigating the first attempted Trump assassination in July has requested a briefing with Rowe.
“We’re going to have to find a way to get more bodies out there who are trained and able and capable of doing this kind of work in a way that the United States can rely on and meets the high standards of what we expect from the Secret Service,” Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., said. “We know we can have another day like that. The United States has to meet a higher standard. The Secret Service has to meet a higher standard. Our democracy demands that, and this task force is going to work to make sure that we get that.”
What scrutiny is the Secret Service facing?
Moving forward, the task force will likely focus more on changes needed within the Secret Service. Last week, the task force met with Rowe behind closed doors. Multiple members told NewsNation the investigation has shown major failures in security planning and communication on the day of the July shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The task force faces a Dec. 13 deadline to release its final investigative report, which will contain recommendations for how to prevent a similar attempt in the future.
What changes are lawmakers calling for?
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Trump has received limited Secret Service protection because he’s not a current president. Lawmakers are joining calls for more Secret Service agents to protect former presidents.
That includes Rep. Richie Torresall, D-N.Y., who said all major presidential candidates should receive the highest level of presidential protection.
Earlier this year, Torres filed two bills calling for changes within the Secret Service. One calls for a 500-yard perimeter around public events. The other aims for the Treasury Department to begin investigating financial crimes the Secret Service traditionally handles.
That shift would allow the Secret Service to focus more on protecting presidential candidates and presidents, he said.
Surrounding Trump with extra protection is an issue of personnel allocation more than it is a funding issue, House Speaker Mike Johnson said. That’s a call the White House or U.S. Secret Service would need to make.
