Former FBI Deputy Director Calls For ‘Rethinking’ of Methods Used to Protect Trump
A second suspected assassination attempt this weekend led former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to call for a “rethinking” of the strategies used to protect former President Donald Trump.
During an interview with CNN, McCabe remarked that while the Trump security system worked as expected, it raised concerns about whether there is room for improvement in the current procedures.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked: “Andrew, I mean, how is it possible that the suspect would have been in the vicinity for nearly 12 hours without being spotted by law enforcement, were just talking with Jonathan jon about the location that there‘s restaurants and a parking lot across the way don‘t know if his vehicle was parked in there when he was shot at by Secret Service and he ran across the road or if it was just parked on the side of the road, but was parked on the side of the road. You would think that might have drawn some attention?”
“Yeah. I doubt that he left it on the side of the road. There‘s not really an easy you‘re kind of an inconspicuous way to leave that vehicle there certainly for that period of time,” McCabe began.
McCabe continued, “So I think it’s a fair guess that it was parked somewhere in the locations that jon and Jonathan were referring to. The bigger question for me, Anderson, is how does a person go unnoticed for some period of time—maybe the full 12 hours, or perhaps a part of that time—literally right against the fence, possibly just 20 to 25 yards from the tee box, where the president would be teeing off? If he hadn’t been detected, it’s an unusual position for the Secret Service because two things are true at once.”
He added, “First, the plan they had worked: the advance agents spotted the gun barrel, engaged the target with gunfire, and successfully mitigated the threat. Their strategy worked as intended. But the real question is, how effective is the strategy when it allows an assassin to lie in wait just 25 yards from where the president is about to be? If they hadn’t seen that gun barrel, it raises a serious need to rethink these Secret Service tactics, particularly with this president, who faces frequent and significant threats.”
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, along with other law enforcement officials, revealed more details about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf club, emphasizing the assassin's proximity to Trump.
In an interview with the press, Bradshaw explained that a Secret Service agent thwarted the alleged plan after noticing the barrel of a rifle positioned near the next hole Trump was preparing to play.
Following the incident, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris issued statements after Trump was declared “safe” when shots were fired near Trump National Golf Club on Sunday.
Multiple sources reported that shots rang out at or near the Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump, the GOP's 2024 presidential contender, had been golfing.
The White House released a statement confirming that Biden and Harris had been briefed on the situation and would continue to receive updates. They expressed that they were “relieved to know that he is safe.”
Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis took to Twitter, stating that his administration would investigate the apparent assassination attempt: “The people deserve the truth about the would-be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,” DeSantis posted on social media.