The search for giant indoor arenas is in full swing. After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the presidential candidate is being urged not to hold large campaign meetings under the open sky.
The Republican's mass meetings often take place at airports, amusement parks, football stadiums, or other large outdoor arenas, which poses high demands on security.
But now it may be over.
After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on July 13 in Pennsylvania, the federal police authority, Secret Service – which is responsible for bodyguard protection – is advising Trump to find indoor locations instead, in order to better guarantee security, reports The Washington Post.
Canceled
At the large outdoor meeting in Butler, Pennsylvania, shots were fired from a nearby roof outside the meeting area. One listener was killed, two were injured, and Trump was hit in the ear and lightly injured.
Criticism of Secret Service has been extensive since then, and last week, its chief, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned. She admitted that the organization's failure to avert the threat against Trump was the agency's biggest failure in several decades.
All outdoor activities at the subsequent Republican convention were canceled, and other mass meetings were held indoors.
Do I feel safe? Yes, I have to feel safe. Otherwise, I can't do this, said Trump in an interview with the right-wing website Newsmax last week.
In the interview, he also accused the sitting President Joe Biden's administration of not doing enough to protect him.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump's campaign organization requested reinforcements of various kinds, and several of them were reportedly rejected by Secret Service, according to sources for The Washington Post.
Harris's protection also strengthened
His campaign movement is reported to be listening to Secret Service's advice and searching for alternative indoor locations, such as basketball arenas, with space for large audiences.
Two sources with close knowledge of the Republican's campaign plans confirm that Trump will hold his election meetings indoors "in the foreseeable future", reports TV channel NBC.
Measures to strengthen the protection around Vice President Kamala Harris, who is soon expected to be nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, have also been taken. When President Joe Biden announced that he would not run for re-election, Secret Service reallocated some resources to her, writes Politico.
Harris has not yet received any instructions to campaign indoors.
Helena Nordenberg/TT
Facts: Secret Service's mission
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Secret Service is a federal authority that, among other things, has the task of protecting the President of the United States.
The organization has around 3,600 employees who guard the White House, the Finance Department, and foreign embassies in Washington. The number of employees has been cut back in recent years, while threats and the number of protected objects have increased.
In addition to protecting the current President, Secret Service also has the task of protecting the Vice President, the incoming President, the incoming Vice President, and presidential candidates, among others.
After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, the authority faced strong criticism. Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle resigned after admitting that the fact that they failed to avert the threat against Trump was the worst failure in decades.
Sources: CNN, NBC News, and others.
