At the very outset, I want to echo President Biden’s sentiment from last night: Our entire Administration is grateful that former President Trump is okay. Our hearts and prayers are with the family of Corey Comperatore, and we hope for a swift recovery for all those injured on Saturday.
We deeply appreciate the heroic actions of the United States Secret Service agents who responded swiftly and courageously to the threat at the campaign event.
We unequivocally condemn the violence witnessed on that day. Such acts are unacceptable in our country and our democracy.
Both President Biden and former President Trump constantly face threats. We are in a heightened and dynamic threat environment, and the United States Secret Service, along with the FBI and other federal partners, takes these threats very seriously. We adjust security measures as warranted to ensure the safety and security of the President, the former President, and their campaign events.
In response to the weekend’s events, President Biden has directed me to work with the Secret Service to provide protection to Robert Kennedy, Jr.
Both before and after the events of this past weekend, the Secret Service has enhanced former President Trump’s protection due to the evolving nature of threats and his imminent shift from presumptive nominee to nominee. This includes securing him during the Republican National Convention this week.
While I cannot discuss specifics of the protection or enhancements made, I can confirm that personnel and other protective resources, technology, and capabilities have been added.
At the RNC, we have steadily increased physical and technical enhancements at every protective venue, including miles of anti-scale fencing, screening technology, and tactical support. We are also leveraging strong relationships across the law enforcement community, including agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Transportation Security Administration, and state and local law enforcement agencies, all of whom have been deployed at the convention.
Following the attempted assassination of former President Trump, we are urgently working to understand how it happened. At President Biden’s direction, an independent review will be conducted to examine the actions of the Secret Service and other law enforcement before, during, and after the incident. This review aims to identify immediate and longer-term corrective actions to ensure the effective protection of our national leaders.
The men and women of the Secret Service have one of the most solemn and difficult jobs in government. Their work involves tremendous sacrifice, risk, and bravery, which we witnessed during the incident on Saturday.
Regarding the tragic event, the FBI is leading the criminal investigation, which is ongoing. An independent review will be conducted to understand the facts and make findings and recommendations accordingly. As a result, I will not be able to comment on the facts subject to investigation and review at this time.–News Desk