Secret Service tells Donald Trump what they need if he wants to keep playing golf… as allies push for him to get same level of protection as Biden

Republicans are calling for security for Donald Trump to be increased to the “highest level of presidential protection” after a second assassination attempt on him.

The threat level against the ex-president is so high that the head of the US Secret Service revealed that personnel changes are needed if the Republican candidate wants to continue playing his favorite hobby, golf.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. met with the former president in Florida on Monday, the day after the alleged assassination attempt on Ryan Wesley Routh was foiled while Trump played golf at his Palm Beach course.

A Secret Service agent saw the barrel of the 58-year-old Routh’s gun sticking through the fence at the sixth hole and shot him, sending him fleeing before being arrested by local police.

According to court documents, Routh followed Trump for nearly 12 hours as he fled the assassination attempt, raising major security concerns.

According to the New York Times, the head of the Secret Service has told Trump that significant additional security measures and planning are needed if he wants to continue playing golf safely.

This comes after Republicans on Capitol Hill on Tuesday called for additional security measures for the presidential candidate and former Republican Party president.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans are preparing a bill to be voted on this week that would give Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris the same level of protections as President Biden.

Meanwhile, a group of seven Republican senators sent a letter to Rowe on Tuesday demanding security for the former president.

As Kansas Senator Roger Marshall put it, they want Trump “to have the same protections as a sitting president.”

“Simply put, President Trump does not have the Secret Service protective capabilities necessary to address the current threat,” the Sept. 17 letter said.

The letter praised the officers for their actions on Sunday after they identified the barrel of the gun sticking through the fence and then took action to protect the nominee before he could be injured.

But it was also argued that more needs to be done to protect Trump.

“It is imperative that the USSS unit assigned to President Trump receive additional protective resources, including increased personnel that will allow officers to secure a broader area,” they wrote.

“These measures would better protect President Trump’s life and reduce concerns about further attempts,” they added.

Senator Tommy Tuberville flanked by Senators Mike Lee (left) and Roger Marshall (right) as they call for additional Secret Service protection for former President Trump

Ryan Wesley Routh, the gunman accused of trying to kill Donald Trump on Sunday, appeared in federal court Monday with his hands and feet in shackles. Pictured: Police released an image of Routh’s arrest Monday after he fled 50 miles from Trump International Golf Club

During a news conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Republican senators said Trump will not stop his angry campaign and that he is not like the other candidates.

“He’s going to do what he’s got to do, folks. We’re in DEFCON ONE and here on Capitol Hill the last couple of days, I don’t feel that way,” said Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

He said they need to “wake up and smell the roses,” adding: “We have to do something. Let’s not wait until it’s too late.”

Senator Mike Lee said anything less than “a level comparable to what the president typically enjoys” would be a “real fallacy.”

Senate Majority Leader Schumer indicated Monday that he is open to additional funding for the Secret Service, but that could be a sore point for Republicans on Capitol Hill.

“We don’t need any additional funding. We have 7,000 Secret Service agents out there right now. There are 100 Secret Service offices across the country,” Marshall said. “They’re staffed. They’re funded. They need to prioritize where to put these Secret Service agents,” Marshall said.

The gunman was standing two holes away from where Trump was golfing Sunday when Secret Service shots were fired in his direction. The hole is the area of ​​the course closest to the road and has the most “vulnerabilities,” according to those familiar with the situation.

West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw holds up an image of Routh’s backpack, purse, GoPro and AK-47-style rifle that he left behind outside Trump International Golf Club on Sunday as he fled the scene when the Secret Service opened fire.

Officials said the shooter may have been at the scene for as long as 12 hours.

When asked why the shooter had been there for so long, Tuberville said Tuesday that he had golfed there with Trump several times and that his agents were “keeping a close eye on everything.”

He argued that it is “almost impossible to protect 100 percent someone like Donald Trump, who goes out, who has rallies, who plays golf.”

The Republican senators who sent the letter are calling on the director of the Secret Service to take action by September 27.