During a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, President Trump expressed his disappointment over the administration’s decision to not allow 50,000 individuals to attend an outdoor rally in Wisconsin the day before.
Trump had initially planned to attend a larger outdoor rally at an airport in Wisconsin on Saturday. However, due to the United Nations General Assembly meeting taking place in New York, the Secret Service did not have enough personnel to secure the venue.
s a result, the rally was relocated to an arts center in Prairie du Chien, according to reports from NBC News and CBS News.
“We were in Wisconsin yesterday, and despite the administration’s refusal to grant us permission, we managed to attract a staggering crowd of 50,000 or more people. Originally planned as an outdoor rally, circumstances forced us to move it indoors, where we addressed a dedicated audience of approximately one thousand individuals,” Trump revealed.
“They insisted that I stay indoors. They explained that they were short-staffed due to their responsibilities in safeguarding the United Nations and Iran.”
According to reports, Trump is reducing the number of large outdoor rallies he holds due to safety concerns. This decision comes after the recent assassination attempt against him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
The Secret Service faced criticism for the security failures that allowed the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, to climb onto a roof and open fire on the former president.
“Kamala refused to provide protection for the crowd,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday, accompanied by a photo supposedly depicting his supporters in the crucial swing state. “Instead of gathering 50,000 people in a field, we have opted for a smaller arena. However, she will not be able to hinder us, and it is widely known that she lacks the necessary capabilities!”
The Erie rally took place indoors at the Bayfront Convention Center. Trump has consistently used the size of his rallies as evidence of his popularity, occasionally inflating the attendance numbers by thousands.
During his Erie rally, Trump expressed concerns about his safety, stating that Iran has been threatening his life and providing protection for the President of Iran at the U.N. General Assembly.
During the rally in Erie, Trump took the opportunity to criticize President Joe Biden for his silence on the alleged assassination plans by Iran. According to Trump, Biden failed to address the issue, leaving many concerned about the potential threat.
On September 24, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly. Coincidentally, President Biden also delivered his U.N. speech on the same day.
According to an unnamed Secret Service official who was briefed on the Wisconsin rally, the agency was not equipped to offer such a high level of protection for a growing number of individuals in need of protection.
The Secret Service offers protection to Joe Biden, as well as former presidents, vice presidents, presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their families.
“We are currently pushing our personnel and equipment to their limits in order to sustain the current operational tempo,” the official stated.
According to Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service chief of communications, President Trump is currently receiving increased levels of protection from the U.S. Secret Service. Guglielmi emphasized that their main focus is to minimize any potential risks and ensure the President’s ongoing safety.
Guglielmi added that they are unable to disclose specific information regarding the allocation of resources for event security or the communication between agency personnel and their protectees due to concerns about operational security.
Source: Newsweek
