The shocking assassination attempt on President Donald Trump is likely to lead to heightened security across American politics as the 2024 presidential elections continue against a backdrop of rising political violence.
With the Republican National Convention taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week in the backdrop of an assassination attempt on President Trump, efforts to prevent any violence or disruption will be stepped up for the time being.
The stunning security lapses at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally, which saw a man shoot Trump from the roof of a building near the stage while he was speaking, will likely add to the already extensive measures in Milwaukee. A senior federal official told NBC the Republican National Committee’s security plans are being reviewed in the wake of the assassination attempt.
Trump campaign co-chairs Suzi Wiles and Chris LaCivita also sent a memo to campaign staff after the shooting, confirming that the Republican National Convention would go on as scheduled, but urging staff to avoid campaign offices in Washington and Florida while they were “evaluating” the situation, and saying “enhanced security will be in place with armed guards on site 24/7.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said on social media that “my staff and I have been in contact with those coordinating security planning for the Republican National Convention and will continue to be in close contact as we learn more about this situation.”
But even if the Republican Convention goes ahead, it will also be embroiled in a culture war over firearms that often stains American politics. The United States has famously lax gun laws, and the convention has already become a focal point of a fight over gun rights, which many Republicans support.
According to the Secret Service, firearms will be prohibited inside the main event space at Fiserv Forum and other buildings hosting Republican National Convention events, as well as within the so-called “hard perimeter” around the convention where identification is required for entry.
But under Wisconsin law, most guns will not be banned in the area immediately outside the convention site because state law specifically bars the city of Milwaukee from enacting such a ban, and a local effort to change that failed earlier this year.
The broader impact of the shooting on the presidential campaign is also likely to be evident. Mr. Trump, who has long held frequent rallies across the country that draw tens of thousands of people, will cancel future events or double down on his strategy, but it remains to be seen whether he will do so.
In a memo, campaign officials warned staff, “This is a fierce election with increasing political polarization. If you sense anything unusual, please report it immediately to your local security team leader.”
In New York, police have stepped up security at Trump Tower in Manhattan. “Out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing its officer presence in select locations across the five boroughs,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X.
Given that the Secret Service, which protects current President Biden and former President and current candidate Trump, failed to prevent the shooting, the Biden campaign is likely to be similarly vigilant.
The Pennsylvania shooting is likely to be the biggest security crisis for the Secret Service since former President Ronald Reagan was shot by a stalker of actress Jodie Foster in 1981. Mr Reagan survived the attack.
There was criticism that the Secret Service allowed the gunman to get close enough to Trump to open fire.
The department recently denied rumors that it had rejected President Trump’s request for more security. “This is categorically false,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on social media. “In fact, we have simply provided additional security resources, technology and capabilities as part of the increased pace of campaign travel.”
However, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee also said it would have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testify at a July 22 hearing.
The committee did not hide its outrage that the attack took place. “The American people demand an explanation for the attempted assassination of President Trump,” it said in a statement on social media.
Political violence has also affected many Democrats, including Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was injured in a shooting at a voter rally in 2011. Meanwhile, the now 84-year-old husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was attacked by assailants who broke into her home on October 28, 2022, fracturing his skull with a hammer.
