The Secret Service has reportedly asked former President Donald Trump’s campaign to stop holding outdoor rallies and other events with immense crowds following the assassination attempt on his life.
After a gunman shot Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, officials discussed with his campaign team the possibility of another assassination attempt on the former president, The Washington Post.
The people familiar with the matter spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.
For upcoming events, Trump’s team is looking for indoor venues, such as basketball stadiums and other immense spaces that can accommodate thousands of people, people familiar with the request said. The campaign team is not currently planning immense outdoor events, a person close to Trump said.
…
Trump has held hundreds of outdoor rallies since he began his first presidential bid, often boasting — and sometimes falsely exaggerating — his immense crowds. They have become something of a cult among his most ardent fans, with tailgate parties in parking lots, vendors in the open spaces near the rally and immense motorcades, often with huge pickup trucks.
There are usually long lists of speakers before Trump takes the stage, and crowds sometimes have to endure hours of heat or cool. Interestingly, the crowd sometimes leaves the stage before Trump, who regularly arrives slow, has finished his speech.
Sarah Matthews, a former Trump spokeswoman, told The Post:.
“We saw in the early days of his presidency and before that during his first campaign in 2016 how important crowd size is to him. He gets a lot of joy and energy from being in large crowds. He feeds off their energy. It’s almost like a source of comfort for him,” said Matthews, who served as deputy White House press secretary under Trump.
Indoor rallies are more pricey, campaign advisers said. But a campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity about private plans said the indoor events are generally safer because it is easier to control who comes through a restricted number of doors and there are fewer visibility problems.
“Of course, in an indoor venue, the capacity is limited,” she said. “It’s not that impressive. It’s something special to be at one of these outdoor rallies.”
The agency finds Trump’s rallies challenging because they are immense, intricate outdoor events. The former president’s major events require extensive security planning, and agents must be on site early to prepare.
Authorities are investigating the shooting and the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Although they have uncovered some details of the assassination, they are not yet clear on what drove Crooks to shoot the former president.
The shooting has put the Secret Service under fire for its failure to stop Crooks from shooting the former president despite warnings from protesters. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her post after being grilled by Republican and Democratic lawmakers during a recent hearing for failing to answer basic questions about the incident.
