Secret Service asks Trump to cancel outdoor rallies — report

In a dramatic turn of events, the US Secret Service has thrown a major wrench into former US president Donald Trump's campaign plans following a harrowing assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.

According to the Washington Post, which first broke the news on Tuesday, the Secret Service has asked Trump's team to stop large outdoor rallies and events, reflecting concerns over the former president’s safety.

The assassination attempt, a shocking event that rattled both the political and security communities, has prompted the Secret Service to re-evaluate the risks associated with Trump's public appearances.

High-level discussions between Secret Service officials and Trump's campaign advisers have led to this critical recommendation, underscoring the gravity of the security threat that Trump now faces.

Indoor rallies

In response to the new directive, Trump’s campaign is now scouting for alternative venues, focusing on large indoor spaces like basketball arenas for future events, according to the Post.

These venues often come with a higher price tag. The shift from outdoor to indoor rallies marks a significant change in strategy, driven by a need to ensure greater security and control.

Despite these adjustments, the campaign's emphasis on large, energetic crowds remains unchanged.

Sarah Matthews, a former deputy press secretary in the Trump White House, highlighted the central role that crowd size plays in Trump’s public appearances.

"We’ve seen from the early days of his presidency even, and before that during his first campaign in 2016, how important crowd size is to him," Matthews told the Washington Post.

"It gives him a lot of joy and energy being with large crowds. He feeds off their energy. It’s almost like a source of comfort for him."

A massive security failure

In a recent interview with Fox News, Trump questioned the accuracy of information provided by Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

She had previously stated that the roof from which the attacker, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired on Trump was sloped, presenting a unique safety challenge.

Trump said that someone might have misled Cheatle, raising further questions about the security measures in place during the July 13 rally in Butler.

The assassination attempt has not only sparked a debate about security protocols but also triggered significant scrutiny of the Secret Service.

Critics are questioning how Crooks, armed with an AR-style rifle, managed to gain access to a vantage point so close to Trump without being detected, and why there were no agents stationed on the roof.

In the wake of the assassination attempt, Cheatle has resigned, taking full responsibility for the lapses in security. Her resignation marks a dramatic fallout from the incident, reflecting the serious implications for the agency and its operations.