Secret Service says it denied Trump additional resources even as his team complained

Evan Vucci/AP

Former President Donald Trump is escorted into a vehicle by Secret Service agents during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.



CNN

Former President Donald Trump’s security services complained that they were not given enough resources and personnel from the Secret Service over the past two years. On Saturday, the agency admitted that it had denied some requests.

A Secret Service spokesman said in a statement Saturday that the agency has historically withheld certain resources and instead relied on other security measures, including those from local partners.

The news comes amid growing concerns about how a sniper gained access to a rooftop about 500 feet from Trump’s position at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last week.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported earlier on Saturday that the Secret Service has rejected previous requests from Trump’s security team over the past two years.

Some close to the former president believed the decisions, which they said were personal to Trump, came from the highest levels of the agency.

While Trump maintains close ties with members of his Secret Service, the relationship between those agents and the agency’s top brass has been strained for some time, according to multiple sources familiar with the dynamic.

In response to questions from CNN about whether the Secret Service has denied additional security requests, a spokesperson told CNN the agency makes “adjustments” when certain resources are not provided to protected individuals.

“In some cases where specific specialized Secret Service units or resources were not provided, the agency has made changes to ensure the safety of the protected person,” Anthony Guglielmi, director of communications for the Secret Service, wrote in a statement. “This may include using state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce the public exposure of a protected person.”

Guglielmi said in a statement the day after the shooting that claims that Trump had not received additional security requests specifically for the Pennsylvania rally were untrue.

“This is absolutely false. In fact, we have added protective equipment, technology and capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel pace,” Guglielmi wrote on X.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is facing a flood of questions about how a gunman was able to get a clear view of Trump at the rally site, and calls from members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, for her to resign.

Cheatle is likely to face questions about these issues during her testimony this week before several congressional committees about the security failures that led to the assassination attempt.