When former President Donald Trump returns to outdoor rallies, the Secret Service will protect him with a podium surrounded by bulletproof glass, sources told media outlets this week.
ABC News, CBS News and NBC News quoted sources saying such a podium is often reserved for sitting presidents, but the Secret Service decided to take the extra precaution after a sniper wounded Trump during an outdoor rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Secret Service eventually killed the sniper.
The bulletproof glass podium is one of several measures being taken to protect Trump after the attempted assassination. Sources said while not all of Trump’s outdoor events will require the encased podium, it will be employed at sites where additional security is needed.
Officials said the Secret Service will also boost staffing and technology to lessen the threats the outdoor rallies present, including adding more counter-snipers and countersurveillance.
The July shooting eventually led to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigning. Cheatle pushed for extra precautions after the shooting and before she departed from the agency.
Congressional hearings and an investigation revealed security lapses during the Butler, Pennsylvania event, including law enforcement identifying the eventual shooter Thomas Crooks as a suspicious person and sending his picture to counter snipers nearly a half-hour before the shooting. (UPI)
