US Secret Service: No Golf Course Visits in Trump's Official Schedule

"Appeal for More Support to the Secret Service"

An assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the U.S. presidential election, has occurred, and the Secret Service has stated that there was no golf course visit on Trump's official schedule.

On the 17th (local time), The Guardian of the UK and others reported that Ronald Lue Jr., acting director of the Secret Service, said at a press briefing held at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in Florida, "Former President Trump was not scheduled to go there (the golf course) at that time (the 15th)."

There was no schedule for Trump to play golf at his own golf course, the 'Trump International Golf Club,' during his official itinerary, and thus there were physical limitations regarding personnel and search scope. Acting Director Lue made this point. He also argued that Congress should provide more funding for the Secret Service’s personnel, overtime, and facilities to cope with the increasingly difficult security environment. U.S. President Joe Biden also mentioned the need for "more support for the Secret Service" following the assassination attempt on Trump.

However, Acting Director Lue did not clearly state whether the absence of a golf course visit in Trump's official schedule meant there was no time for a prior search.

Ronald Low Jr., Acting Director of the Secret Service.
Photo by AP Yonhap News

Earlier, Acting Director Lue praised the Secret Service for firmly responding to the assassination attempt, noting that the suspect, Wesley Rouse (58), fled without firing a single shot. However, questions remain unanswered about how a suspect with a criminal record was able to enter the golf course and stay for 12 hours. In particular, the Secret Service admitted that it did not search around the golf course, and since it is known that former President Trump often plays golf at the Florida golf course on Sundays, there have been continuous criticisms that more proactive measures should have been taken in advance.

Meanwhile, after the shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, in which former President Trump was shot in the right ear, the Secret Service reassigned President Biden’s security agents to former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, provided special glass to surround Trump at campaign events, and strengthened security measures for presidential candidates. Additionally, the Secret Service received additional resources from the Department of Defense, and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, independently deployed about 1,500 investigative agents to reinforce the Secret Service’s capabilities.