Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is returning on Saturday to the rural Pennsylvania location where he was nearly assassinated. As Donald Trump returns to Butler, Pa., for the first time since narrowly surviving an assassination attempt, current and former Secret Service agents are apprehensive about the potential for another security breach.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement before Saturday's rally that there had been "comprehensive changes and enhancements to our communications capabilities, resourcing and protective operations."
According to NBC News, the agency is facing significant challenges, with an increased workload and inadequate staffing pushing it to 'a state of crisis.'
Rather than expanding, the agency has actually contracted. In the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, over 1,400 of its 7,800 employees left, marking the largest departure in at least two decades. This summer's two assassination attempts against former President Trump highlighted significant issues within the agency. According to agents, a critical problem driving all others is the loss of the best-trained personnel, as reported by the New York Times.
A senior U.S. Secret Service official has openly acknowledged the growing concerns surrounding the agency's current state, saying, "We are doing everything within our power to prevent another security incident from happening."
Anthony Guglielmi, the chief spokesman for the Secret Service, further elaborated on the challenges facing the agency. In a statement, he noted, "The rising demands placed on the agency amid this dynamic threat environment have stretched our personnel to their limits. We recognize that this level of strain is not sustainable, and we cannot take the risk of experiencing another mission failure." This underscores the pressing need for the agency to address its staffing and operational issues to ensure the safety and security of those it is tasked to protect.
Over the last 50 days, the men and women of the #SecretService secured 3 major events, each requiring over a year of planning & time away from family. In just 15 days, they'll gear up again for the next NASE - the United Nations General Assembly in NYC. pic.twitter.com/XF4PyLCxZj
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) August 24, 2024
Earlier, The Washington Post was the first to report that Trump's agents have repeatedly had their requests for additional personnel and equipment denied.
The staffing challenges confronting the agency do not appear to be linked to inadequate funding. In reality, the Secret Service's budget has nearly doubled over the last decade, soaring from around $1.8 billion in fiscal 2014 to more than $3 billion, as indicated by government filings. During this same period, the agency has increased its overall staffing by nearly 25%, resulting in a workforce of over 8,100 personnel. This figure includes approximately 3,200 special agents and 1,300 uniformed officers, according to information available on the agency's website. Despite this growth in budget and personnel, the agency continues to struggle with significant staffing issues, raising questions about the effectiveness of its resource management and operational strategies.
A 2021 report from NAPA indicated that agents are being assigned "more than ever within tight resources."
The report stated, "Threats against the President and others have increased in intensity and scale due to the emergence of new technologies and the rising level of violence in the country."
Working for the Secret Service is frequently characterized as both demanding and tedious. Agents often find themselves standing for long periods, enduring hours of waiting while officials engage in meetings. This combination of physical strain and the monotony of the job can be challenging, as they must remain vigilant and ready to respond to any potential threats despite the long stretches of inactivity. The intense nature of the role, coupled with the routine aspects, can make the job particularly taxing for agents. Several agents reported feeling "at the end of their ropes," both physically and mentally. One agent shared that they had been going to work while sick for several weeks but hadn't been able to find the time to see a doctor. This highlights the toll the demanding nature of the job is taking on their well-being.
Trump had narrowly escaped being shot in the head in Butler when a bullet whizzed past him, causing his right ear to bleed. This close call highlighted significant security gaps for the former president and led to increased protective measures for his future outdoor rallies. This incident was the first of two assassination attempts against Trump. On September 15, a gunman managed to hide undetected for nearly 12 hours at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, with plans to kill him. He was ultimately stopped by a U.S. Secret Service agent who was patrolling the area ahead of Trump's visit, according to prosecutors.
Meanwhile, for Saturday rally Trump will be joined by Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of social media platform X. It will be the first time Musk has appeared at a Trump campaign event since endorsing the former president after the July 13 assassination attempt.
