THE Secret Service has approved a new security plan to better protect former US President Donald Trump during outdoor campaign events, including the use of bulletproof glass to protect him on stage, a Secret Service official confirmed to The Washington Post. The new procedure comes after the Secret Service asked the Trump campaign to temporarily suspend its presence at outdoor rallies after a gunman fired multiple shots at the Republican nominee at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
The plan to erect bulletproof glass to surround Trump during outdoor events, the newspaper USA writes, “is a major enhancement to the Secret Service’s standard security planning for candidates’ campaign events, according to the Secret Service official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security measures. Such glass is normally provided only for presidents and vice presidents, if deemed necessary for outdoor appearances, an additional layer of security organized and coordinated by the Department of Defense.”
The Defense Department works with the Secret Service to enhance security for the sitting president and vice president, but it does not help protect presidential candidates. The Secret Service typically favors indoor events for presidents and vice presidents, reducing the need for such glass. “Former presidents and candidates do not typically receive bulletproof glass or support from the Department of Defense,” the official said. “This glass has to be brought in on trucks and vans.”
In an effort to better protect Trump, a Secret Service official said the agency has begun placing the material and ballistic glass around the country in locations where government personnel can easily access it for Trump campaign events. The Secret Service will also add other security tools that are not normally provided to presidential candidates, a Secret Service official confirmed, but declined to describe what those tools are. Those security measures could include the use of drones. The Secret Service’s public affairs office declined to comment on the change.
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