WASHINGTON CNN —
In the wake of two assassination attempts and continued threats from Iran, Donald Trump’s campaign has increased security requests, including military aircraft transportation and additional on-site security measures at the former president’s campaign stops. three people familiar with the discussions told CNN.
The Trump campaign has used these resources, including access to military aircraft equipped with deterrence systems to protect against surface-to-air missiles, as the former president crisscrosses the United States in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. I’m thinking of doing it.
Asked about Trump’s request Friday, President Joe Biden said the request should be met “unless he asks for F-15s.”
“I told the department to give him everything he needs because he was the sitting president,” Biden said. “If you fit into that category, that’s fine.”
Susie Wiles, Trump’s co-campaign manager, initially requested tougher measures in a phone call with Biden chief of staff Jeff Zients about two weeks ago, two sources familiar with the conversation said. told CNN. Wiles formally requested additional security from Acting Secretary of the Secret Service Ronald Lowe on September 30, according to an email reviewed by CNN.
A third person familiar with the calls between Wiles and Zaientz said President Biden’s chief of staff quickly connected Wiles to senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service, saying they had “direct access to her.” ” he said. Zients said the president had directed the Secret Service to provide Trump with the highest level of protection, the person said.
The Trump campaign’s demands also include access to Camp David vehicles for Trump’s main convoy and other military assets, such as drones with temperature monitoring capabilities.
Additionally, the Trump campaign has asked the U.S. Secret Service to increase stockpiles of bulletproof glass in several key battleground states, which the agency is currently using to corral Trump at outdoor rallies.
And the campaign called for more funding for local law enforcement officials to provide increased security for the president, as well as additional administrative support from Secret Service headquarters.
Federal law enforcement officials say the Secret Service is currently working on a formal request for these resources, which will be sent first to the Department of Homeland Security and then to the Department of Defense and other agencies that need to be involved.
Two sources close to the campaign said Trump administration officials were frustrated that additional protections were not put in place in light of the heightened security threat facing the former president. The camp has begun implementing several new safety measures.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, President Trump will take unusual flights to various events and stay in unusual accommodations, one of the people said. He has started to change his daily life.
The official said President Trump’s security team made the change because it lost confidence in the Secret Service after two previous attempts on the former president’s life and the denial of certain resources. That’s what it means. Mr. Trump’s team maintains that the concern is not with Mr. Trump’s personal information but with the people at Secret Service headquarters, many of whom have been with him since leaving office.
But Trump’s team has also been told that some of the demands are impossible for any presidential candidate to fulfill. Trump has privately complained about having to hold small rallies because of security concerns, two people familiar with the matter said, but no president or presidential candidate has held small gatherings because of security concerns. They say they face restrictions on their freedom of movement.
Security resources are also often determined on a case-by-case basis, one administration official said.
The Secret Service maintains that “the former president receives the highest level of protection,” agency spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement Friday. “The Secret Service remains vigilant and will continue to adjust and strengthen our defense posture as necessary to mitigate evolving threats.”
Guglielmi said authorities have already imposed flight restrictions over Trump’s home and when he travels. Guglielmi also said the former president “receives the highest level of technological security assets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-unmanned aerial surveillance systems, ballistics and other advanced technological systems.”
Still, requests for additional resources may encounter obstacles. Some of them could run into legal problems, federal law enforcement officials said, given constitutional restrictions on military operations in the United States.
Trump was nearly killed by a gunman in July, and another gunman was shot outside Trump’s Florida golf course in September as the former president played just one hole, prosecutors said. The Secret Service has implemented a number of changes since the incident in which it allegedly set up what it called a sniper’s nest. Away. Separately, U.S. authorities have received information indicating there is a threat by Iran to assassinate President Trump.
The Secret Service has increased its presence around President Trump, adding members to his detail, taking extra precautions and often accompanying his counterattack team. Secret Service agents who had previously been assigned desk jobs or other posts were also added to the rotation to protect Mr. Trump.
Following President Trump’s near-assassination in Pennsylvania in July, the campaign also requested that local, state and federal authorities be allowed to have observers in their command centers during the campaign. A person familiar with the request told CNN. This person can see communications with law enforcement and have direct contact with campaign officials.
This story has been updated with additional information.
