Staff Reports
A recent incident involving a gunman at a golf course where former President Trump was present has raised eyebrows concerning security measures—or lack thereof—around political figures. The palm trees of Palm Beach might sway, but the question of why they didn’t sway quickly enough to deter a gunman remains. If this had been President Biden teeing off instead, an extra layer of security would likely have transformed that golf course into Fort Knox, not just for the first golfer, but for everyone present.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw didn’t mince words when explaining that a sitting president would have had a far tighter protective detail around him. The absence of such robust security for Trump as a current presidential candidate has understandably led to finger-pointing at the Secret Service. Rep. Claudia Tenney took to social media to echo sentiments that would be found in the halls of Congress. She rightly posed the astute observation that the threat level surrounding Trump necessitates security measures bordering on those of an actively sitting president. It’s a sad state of affairs when a former commander-in-chief faces risks that surpass those endured by the current one.
Palm Beach County Sheriff: “The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agents did a fantastic job.”
Insane statement to make considering this is the 2nd time Trump nearly escaped assassination. pic.twitter.com/LXkniEgBQ6
— Independent American 🇺🇸 (@MAGAX1776) September 15, 2024
The baffling disconnect becomes even more pronounced when considering that an acting director, Ron Rowe, has claimed that a lack of resources wasn’t to blame for earlier surveillance failures. How can that be when just last July an assassin successfully took a swing at Trump’s life? One has to wonder if he was confusing a shortage of resources with a shortage of common sense. Apparently, the Secret Service’s response strategy consists of hefty bureaucratic red tape while former President Trump finds himself on the defendant side of this security play.
As for the recent incident, it wasn’t a sinking feeling of doom cloaked in a golf shirt. The gunman, who apparently thought blending in with the bushes was a clever tactic, was spotted before any harm could be done. When a Secret Service agent observed a rifle sneaking through the shrubbery, it turned into a game of cat and mouse that ended with law enforcement capturing the suspect on the interstate. Despite the incident occurring hundreds of yards from Trump, the fact that it happened at all raises alarming questions.
To add to the chaos, the former head of the Secret Service portrayed Trump as just another VIP on a list of protectees. This categorization, along with previous attempts on Trump’s life, should prompt a significant reevaluation of protocols. If an individual previously targeted by assassination attempts isn’t deserving of heightened security considerations, then who exactly is? The idea that the Secret Service possesses protective instincts resembling a high school prom committee’s planning skills is not comforting. It seems they need to wake up and realize that they’re dealing with a political figure who actively faces threats, not just a retired public servant.
With calls from lawmakers for an overhaul in security measures to focus on protecting Trump more effectively, the glaring deficiencies of the Secret Service come into sharper focus. As echoed by experts, the agency needs to advance beyond a quaint categorization system. It should be addressing the unique circumstances surrounding the former president with an unmatched urgency. When national security hangs in the balance, less bureaucracy and more proactive strategies might just do the trick. Quite simply, if the Secret Service can’t adapt, then they’ve missed the point altogether—and that’s a security breach no American should be comfortable with.
