In between enhanced security concerns and assembly personnel matters The US Secret Service has limited the frequency and types of events it conducts on its trail, four sources close to both presidential campaigns said.
Officials from the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump camps say they have pulled back from “off the record” stops when the candidate leaves larger events and enters a diner, ice cream parlor or barber shop because of tighter security. requirements. Many of these stops have an element of surprise, which can generate local buzz about the candidate.
But after the assassination attempt against Trump in July, both candidates’ worlds changed dramatically.
Each of the campaigns says that Secret Service security requirements have created new challenges for booking stops, in some cases requiring 48 hours’ advance notice and often more detailed plans than in the past. Planning local stops now can be as labor-intensive for campaign staff as putting on a full event, sources said.
In addition to the time and resources required, the new requirements defeat the purpose of more spontaneous, organic visitation-oriented events in the community. They also provide an intimate setting for candidates to mingle with small business owners and potential voters.
“It takes a lot of elements of surprise out of the experience,” said a Harris campaign official who, like others in this article, spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly.
Limits on local parking are the new reality as both candidates compete in battleground states, with polling showing a lopsided contest. Such trips characterize the latter part of the race and often garner positive local media coverage in targeted areas within war zones. They also often provide fresh fodder for social media campaigns.
“To protect operational security, the US Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct defensive operations. However, in this heightened threat environment, the Secret Service is constantly adjusting our protective posture to ensure the highest level of protection, anytime, anywhere,” Special Agent Matt Young, a spokesman for the US Secret Service, told NBC News.
“The Secret Service continues to work closely with our local, state and federal partners to ensure our defenders receive the highest level of protection on the campaign trail,” he said. and is very strictly protected in all campaign settings.”
Along with the Secret Service’s security concerns, even small business owners who support the presidential candidate are increasingly expressing reservations about hosting such events, according to two sources.
“Some came back and said, ‘You know what? I would like you not to come because their safety is at risk due to revenge, doxing and online trolling,” said one official.
New dynamics of presidential landscape a. is the latest example of how it has changed over the years July 13 assassination attempt About Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was grazed by a bullet after a gunman managed to open fire after people gathered outside the scene raised the alarm about a man crawling on the roof. As a result of the shooting, one person died and two others were injured. The extraordinary events led to a reckoning with the Secret Service, forced the resignation of the director and prompted the calling of the acting director.a paradigm shift” in the nearly 160-year-old agency.
Everything has meaning an unprecedented level of security Additional layers of protection for both Harris and Trump, including increased staffing and the installation of bulletproof glass around outdoor venues and the banning of outdoor events altogether.
A person familiar with the planning of Trump’s events said the new security restrictions also forced the optics to change, as many strong visual moments meant for TV or social media were eliminated.
In one instance, Trump’s recent stop at a barber shop required his car to drop him behind the tent when he arrived, denying him a “hero’s welcome,” according to the source. like a bodega,” referring to Trump’s surprise appearance in Harlem in April after his court appearance. Cameras then got a chance to film Trump walking down the sidewalk and into the bodega, with the encircled crowd cheering on either side of him.
Sen. JD Vance of Ohio on Monday defended Trump from criticism during his visit on Sunday Pennsylvania McDonald’s “stage driven” highlighting recent changes in security intensity. McDonald’s was closed for normal business, and cars passing the drive-thru were pre-picked and inspected by the Secret Service.
“For these people to accuse him of something stage-managed, of course, it should keep the president safe because there have been two attempts on his life in the last eight weeks,” Vance told Fox News in an interview this morning. “He can’t just walk into McDonald’s and sign a W9 and not actually pay wages. “It just doesn’t work that way, especially when you put his life in danger.”
Both campaigns note that they have not completely stopped the events. Last week Vance, along with his wife and eldest son stopped by the fodder and agriculture center Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with her German shepherd puppy Atlas. Vance ended up buying a Trump chew toy.
“I don’t know if he’s going to be happy about it or if he’s going to be upset,” Vance said after a big laugh, then added a chew toy that looked like President Joe Biden.
After recording a podcast with Charlemagne Tha God in Harris, Michigan Cred stopped at his cafe in Detroit. He wore a T-shirt that said “Detroit vs. All” and spoke to the crowd about working hard to win the election.
This brought the local title Fox 2 Detroit’s Facebook page: “It was room only at Detroit’s CRED Cafe where Harris crashed his watch party.”