A recent campaign rally in Wisconsin was scrapped by former President Donald Trump after the federal task force overseeing security measures refused to provide adequate protection resources.
Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., addressed a letter to the acting director of the Secret Service, shedding light on allegations from a whistleblower that the event was canceled due to the agency’s lack of “sufficient assets” to ensure Trump’s safety.
Hawley noted that other insiders familiar with the Secret Service’s protocols claim that denying protection for a major public event is unprecedented, and that a sitting president would never face such a situation.
Wisconsin is a crucial battleground state that Trump won narrowly in 2016, only to lose by a slim margin of 20,000 votes in 2020. The latest surveys indicate a tight race, with Trump trailing Vice President Kamala Harris by less than a single point.
The cancellation of Trump’s rally has sparked accusations of a double standard in the handling of security for the presidential candidates. Following a series of security lapses that nearly led to a successful assassination attempt on Trump this summer, the Republican candidate was advised to avoid outdoor campaign events.
The Secret Service has yet to comment on the allegations, leaving it unclear whether similar restrictions have been imposed on Vice President Harris. Trump recently survived another attempt on his life, when a gunman armed with a scoped rifle came within 300 to 500 yards of the former president at his West Palm Beach golf course.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw stated that Trump’s security detail remains limited, as he is no longer the incumbent president. “At his current level, he doesn’t have the same level of protection as a sitting president,” Bradshaw explained.
Contrary to this, Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Penn., claimed that the Secret Service has restored Trump’s security to its previous levels. The Senate has also passed bipartisan legislation to enhance security for major presidential candidates, which is currently awaiting White House approval. Trump has announced plans to return to the fair grounds in Pennsylvania, where he was shot, to campaign on October 5, just four days after the vice presidential debate.
