How many assassination attempts will it take for the Secret Service to give Donald Trump the protection he clearly needs?
On Sunday, an alert Secret Service agent fired on an assailant after spotting a rifle barrel sticking out from the fence line at Trump International Golf Club, but the shooter still managed to get within 300 yards of the former president — dangerously close, just like the would-be assassin in Pennsylvania who nearly succeeded if not for Trump turning his head at the last second.
This is despite the fact that Trump’s security was supposedly ramped up after credible threats from Iran, following his authorization of key military operations during his presidency, including the takedown of Qasem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Even with these heightened risks, Sunday’s suspect was caught only after a civilian spotted the shooter fleeing the scene and took a photo of the getaway vehicle.
As Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted, if it were President Biden on that course, the entire area would’ve been locked down with security. But since Trump is “not the sitting president,” his security is limited to what the Secret Service deems necessary. How is that enough, given the obvious threats?
The attacker, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh, has openly supported left-wing causes on social media. Despite repeated violence aimed at Trump, Democrats and the media may condemn political violence, but this latest event raises questions about whether the Secret Service leadership is taking the situation as seriously as it should.
