STORY: :: How Trump's rally security likely
worked, according to a former agent
:: July 13, 2024
:: Bobby McDonald, former Secret Service agent and University of New Haven lecturer
"So basically what happens is a protective advance is done for anywhere between five and seven days before the event. The detail will work with the local Secret Service office in that area to help liaise with state, local and federal partners in that area to help us, the Secret Service, develop a very robust protective element within that venue. During that 5 to 7 days, the agents who were assigned to that protective advance will cover every possible 'What if?' that could happen at that venue, again: Where are the motorcade routes? Where is the airport? How long does it take to get to the airport? Let's develop a plan with the local police who are going to assist the motorcade and things of that nature. Again, 99.9% of the time, all of those things are done. And many of those things don't have to be implemented. But here's a perfect situation where it looks to me like a very good protective advance was done. Unfortunately, we had an incident, but the bottom line here is that the president, former president was taken out of that venue and appears to be somewhat safe, although it appears he may have some injuries, but he is alive. And that's the most important thing here as are all of the agents that are around him."
:: Portishead, England
"There may not be anything that could have been done. And this person was able to perform this nefarious activity without being detected by the Secret Service for some reason. I don't know the answer to that, but I can tell you the Secret Service, the FBI and those local, state and federal partners are going to be looking at this with a fine tooth comb and being able to send out a message to all the details now to make sure that whatever happened here, there are no copycat situations moving along or to make sure that everybody that we're protecting in open air venues like this is double checking, triple checking and quadruple checking everything that needs to be checked."
As a former president and the Republican presidential candidate, Trump is protected primarily by the Secret Service.
During most of Trump's campaign stops, local police aid the Secret Service in securing the venue. Agents from other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, such as the Transportation Security Administration, occasionally help.
It is no easy task. Many Trump rallies feature thousands of audience members, take place in the open air and last for hours.
Days before the event, secret service plans and rehearses for the event. Just before the rally, agents scan the venue for bombs or other threats, and Trump invariably arrives in a fortified motorcade.
