Former President Donald Trump expressed ongoing concerns about safety at his rallies, stating on Wednesday, he is “always worried” about security issues.
He attributed the difficulties in ensuring adequate protection to the White House during an interview on NewsNation’s “CUOMO” show as he prepares for a rally this weekend in Butler, Pennsylvania—the location of a recent assassination attempt against him.
“I’m always worried,” Trump said when asked about safety leading up to his highly anticipated return to Butler.
He criticised the treatment he receives from the White House, claiming that his rallies draw far larger crowds than those of other candidates. “We’re entitled to security,” he insisted, adding that the current administration is not doing enough to assist him.
Following a second failed assassination attempt at his golf course in Palm Beach, Florida, calls for Trump to receive increased Secret Service protection similar to that of President Biden have grown.
A vigilant Secret Service agent thwarted the plot of alleged would-be assassin Ryan Wesley Routh, who had attempted to target Trump. Security around the golf course was reportedly less stringent due to Trump not being the sitting president.
Last month, Congress unanimously passed legislation to enhance Trump’s Secret Service protection to the same level as that of current U.S. presidents and vice presidents, a measure Biden signed into law on Tuesday.
Trump remarked that the White House complicates the implementation of necessary security for his large rallies, noting, “It’s very unfair the way we’ve been treated.”
He pointed to a recent event in Wisconsin, stating, “We would’ve had 60,000 people, but they couldn’t provide us with the security.”
Trump emphasised the crucial need for better security measures, claiming the White House is primarily responsible for the current limitations.
Despite acknowledging the challenges, Trump commended the Secret Service for their efforts while expressing concern about their constrained resources. “They’re only allowed to do what the White House is letting them do,” he said.
The upcoming rally in Butler is particularly significant, as it will take place on the same grounds where he was shot in the ear by Thomas Matthew Crooks 12 weeks earlier.
The incident left two attendees seriously injured and resulted in one fatality before a Secret Service sniper killed Crooks. A Senate investigation following the shooting identified multiple “preventable” security failures on the part of the Secret Service leading up to the tragic event.
