Updated Sep 15, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Trump shooting incident sparks bipartisan push to boost his security

Andrew Solender

Rep. Ritchie Torres, wearing a gray suit, with his hand over his mouth, sitting at a committee dais behind a placard that says "Mr. Torres" — Rep. Ritchie Torres at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on March 29, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

Members of Congress in both parties are pressing for former President Trump to receive enhanced Secret Service protection following a second apparent assassination attempt against him on Sunday.

Why it matters: The last attempt in July has touched off an intense, bipartisan wave of congressional scrutiny towards the Secret Service.

The bipartisan task force investigating that shooting is already seeking a briefing into Sunday's incident at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida golf club.
Trump is "safe" after there were "gunshots in his vicinity," his campaign said earlier Sunday.

Driving the news: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) told Axios, "All major presidential candidates ought to receive the highest level of presidential [protection]. Anything less than maximum protection is a self-inflicted wound that puts our Nation's stability at grave risk."

After the shooting in July, Torres and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced a bill to boost security for Trump, President Biden and Robert Kennedy Jr., who has since dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump.
Several Republicans made similar statements, with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) saying in a post on X that Trump "should have same security level as the sitting president!"
"Given the escalating threats, I'm calling on President Biden to issue President Trump the same security levels afforded to a sitting President to ensure his safety," said Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) in a statement.

Between the lines: Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference Sunday that because Trump is not a sitting president, the Secret Service was "limited" to "the areas that the Secret Service deems possible," Axios' Erin Doherty reported.

If Trump was the sitting president, Bradshaw said, "we would have had this entire golf course surrounded."
Spokespeople for the White House and Secret Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Trump shooting incident sparks bipartisan push to boost his security

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