Secret Service confirms it refused additional resources to Donald Trump for his rallies

The Secret Service, responsible in the United States for protecting senior political figures, acknowledged on Saturday, July 21, that it had rejected requests for additional resources requested by Donald Trump’s security services over the past two years.

It is a reversal from previous statements by the agency, which had denied that such requests had been rejected. After the attempted assassination of the former US president, the Secret Service had been accused by Republican officials of refusing additional agents to secure the former US president’s rallies. “This is absolutely false. In reality, we have added means of protection (…) in the context of the increased pace of campaign travel,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on X on Sunday, July 14.

While the denied requests for additional resources were not specific to the Pennsylvania rally where the attack took place, Anthony Guglielmi sent a message to the New York Times, explaining that in cases where the Secret Service cannot provide additional resources, it is increasing security with resources from local or national law enforcement, or modifying its security plans to reduce Donald Trump’s exposure.

He said his department was limited in the resources it could deploy in such events. The newspaper said agency officials “have been complaining for years that the agency is running out of steamespecially during election time, when it must protect the sitting president, the many candidates and political conventionss”.