(Washington) Republican candidate Donald Trump said Saturday he would resume outdoor campaign rallies with increased Secret Service protection, two weeks after being injured in an assassination attempt.
“No one should prevent or interfere with freedom of speech or assembly,” the former president said on his Truth Social network, adding that the Secret Service had agreed to “significantly step up their operations.”
The statement comes after the elite security service responsible for protecting high-profile US officials suggested that the Republican’s campaign team avoid organising large outdoor events and instead opt for large indoor venues.
On July 13, the Republican candidate was shot in the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania. One spectator was killed and two others were seriously injured.
The assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot dead. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, he had fired several shots from the roof of a building about 150 metres from Mr Trump.
The FBI confirmed Friday that he was hit by a bullet or bullet fragment, ending questions about the nature of the wound to his right ear.
Investigators are still trying to establish the motive for the attack, which has rocked the countryside and sparked strong criticism of the secret services.
Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday, a day after a tense parliamentary hearing in which she acknowledged a major failure.
On Saturday, Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance hold a campaign rally at a 6,000-seat arena in the Midwestern state of Minnesota. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, who is poised to become the Democratic nominee, attends a fundraiser in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.