Retired FBI supervisor outlines factors in apparent Trump assassination attempt, possible solutions
Sep 16, 2024, 3:00 PM | Updated: Sep 17, 2024, 4:15 pm
The Trump International Golf Club is shown, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Where the second assassination attempt took place. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
SALT LAKE CITY— A retired FBI supervisor from Utah explained factors that helped a gunman get close enough to former President Donald Trump for a second assassination attempt.
Related: Suspect charged in second assassination attempt of Donald Trump
Karl Schmae, the retired FBI supervisor, told Dave and Dujanovic there were four major factors at play:
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- The Secret Service has limited resources right now.
- In general, golf courses are hard to secure because of how large and publicly accessible they are.
- Americans’ easier access to automatic weapons.
- Angry people are willing to be violent.
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Secret Service resources
Schmae said that the short period of time between assassination attempts on the former president are frightening. Only nine weeks passed between the first and second.
“It seems like it’s open season on presidential candidates.”
Schmae said the Secret Service doesn’t have the resources to fully surround a golf course right now. Fixing that gap in staffing isn’t as simple as it seems.
“It’s an open public venue. [It is] really, really hard when you [have] all that wooded area around. Potentially houses around. And that takes a lot of manpower that the Secret Service just doesn’t have right now.”
Schmae said that the Secret Service has stringent hiring criteria, therefore, it takes a while for them to increase staff numbers.
“And that’s going to be the case for a while because it takes a while to get people trained up,” said Schmae.
After a second assassination attempt, what is the solution?
Until the Secret Service can hire and train more agents, Schmae said he thinks they should consider leaning on local law enforcement for help.
“I think the Secret Service needs to be looking at trying to … use some alternatives. Like using the locals more than they have in the past.”
Schmae believes that these factors are going to cause the Secret Service to reevaluate and ramp up security.
