1 month ago
13
President Joe Biden has said he will ensure the Secret Service has "every resource" to keep Donald Trump safe after a second "assassination attempt" on his life.
The president said he was "relieved" Mr Trump was "unharmed" after 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested in connection with shots being fired near to where the former president was playing golf in West Palm Beach, Florida.
It is believed the gunman didn't fire any shots but was "lying in wait" for Mr Trump when a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel coming out of a perimeter fence surrounding the course, Palm Beach State's attorney Dave Aronberg told MSNBC.
Trump latest: Former president vows to 'never surrender'
An AK-47 type assault rifle weapon with a scope, two backpacks and a GoPro device were later recovered hidden in the shrubbery.
In a statement after the scare, Mr Biden said he "commends" the work of the Secret Service but said he has "directed [his] team to continue to ensure that the service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former president's continued safety".
It comes after some hit out at the service, questioning how the gunman was able to get within approximately 500 yards of Mr Trump - the second apparent bid on Mr Trump's life in nine weeks, after the Republican presidential nominee was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in July.
Secret Service needs to 'step up protection'
Ron DeSantis, Florida governor and Republican, wrote on X saying the state would be conducting its own investigation into the incident as people "deserve the truth about the would-be assassin" who gotso close to Mr Trump.
Fellow Republican and former rival of Mr Trump for this year's presidential candidacy Vivek Ramaswamy called for the Secret Service to "step up its protection".
Describing Sunday's incident as "unacceptable and un-American", he said: "I'm calling on [the] Secret Service to IMMEDIATELY step up its protection for President Trump to the same level they provide to Biden, there's no excuse not to at this point.
"America is skating on thin ice, and I thank God we've now averted tragedy twice this summer."
X This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
Speaking to Sky News, Julia Manchester, political reporter for The Hill, said there will be "quite a lot of questions" about the Secret Service and federal law as people wonder how the former president's life has been threatened for a second time.
"We don't yet have a motive from the suspect, we don't know what was behind this," she said. "We have seen an increasing just nasty rhetoric across the board in the United States. It has really been building up.
X This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
"I think you are going to hear calls for more gun control. Overall, there is going to be a larger conversation about political rhetoric and how it can lead to political violence."
The Secret Service came under increasing scrutiny following the first assassination attempt on Mr Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
It led to the resignation of Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, who admitted to Congress that her agency had its "most significant operational failure" in decades.
Read more:
What we know about the gunman
Donald Trump lashes out after star backs Kamala Harris
Ronald Rowe has since stepped up as the head of the service. He is understood to be on his way to Florida following the events in Florida, officials have told Sky News's US partner network NBC News.
Officers 'pre-empted' attack
Despite pressure from some, the Trump campaign credited the "great work" of agents for keeping everyone safe, including Mr Trump.
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Senior Democrats also defended the actions of the service.
The secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who serves under Mr Biden and Kamala Harris, said the safety and security of presidential candidates was "the highest priority" for the service, and that officers had managed to "pre-empt" the attack and protect Mr Trump.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he "applauded" the Secret Service "for their quick response to ensure former President Trump's safety".
"There is no place in this country for political violence of any kind," he afdded. "The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
English (US) · 