Secret Service beefs up security for Trump, including with bulletproof glass
By Holmes Lybrand, CNN
(CNN) — The Secret Service has begun bolstering Donald Trump’s security detail and plans to surround the former president with bulletproof glass at campaign rallies.
A senior official told CNN that additional security measures also include increasing the number of agents and certain technological changes, though the official declined to provide more details for security reasons.
The measures are being implemented in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump at his rally last month in Butler, Pennsylvania. Some of the measures have already been rolled out.
Ballistic glass is commonly used for the protection of sitting presidents and is moved into place by the Department of Defense, which has an extensive transportation operation including planes.
For Trump, the Secret Service will strategically place the glass around the country in areas where Trump is expected to visit because the agency doesn’t have its own aircraft, the official told CNN.
A team of dedicated agents will be in charge of moving and preparing the new measures for each campaign event in the lead-up to the November 2024 presidential election.
“It is a significant undertaking when it comes to logistics,” the official told CNN.
Some of these moves had previously been announced by leadership in the Secret Service, including the increase in manpower for Trump that Kimberly Cheatle announced before she resigned as director of the agency last month amid intense criticism following the rally shooting.
Ballistic glass is generally used for outdoor events, whereas indoor events usually don’t require such a measure because individuals are screened before entering. The official told CNN that the glass could be used in both indoor and outdoor locations depending on the security at each location.
The Secret Service declined to comment when asked about the new measures.
“The safety of our protectees is our highest priority,” a spokesperson told CNN. “Due to operational security, we cannot comment on specific protective means and methods.
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