Trump team questions Biden’s beach visits as Secret Service cites security issues while ex-POTUS golfs
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Donald Trump's team questioned President Joe Biden's recent beach visits after the Secret Service stated that they can't ensure the former president's safety on golf courses without improved security arrangements.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe informed Trump that an enhancement in security resources and coordination is required if he wants to keep playing golf at some of his courses, per The New York Times.
Trump's team argued that while Biden can visit open beaches, Trump should not be restricted from golfing, especially given that other former presidents regularly play the sport.
Secret Service recommends enhancement in Donald Trump's security arrangements
The Secret Service made the recommendation during a meeting at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Monday, September 16, just a day after alleged gunman Ryan Routh was apprehended hiding with an SKS assault rifle in the bushes of Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club.
However, Trump’s team has reportedly requested additional support from the Secret Service in the weeks following his narrow escape from a first assassination attempt in July. According to sources, as reported by The New York Times, they have complained that this support has not yet been provided.
Since 2022, Trump’s team has repeatedly requested additional security from the Secret Service, only to be rebuffed by the agency’s leaders who cited a supposed lack of resources, per The New York Post.
During Monday's meeting, Trump questioned whether it was safe to continue golfing at all, noting that photographers outside his golf club grounds regularly take photos of him while he plays.
Rowe stated that securing golf courses close to public roads, like the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, is challenging. He suggested that the military course at Joint Base Andrews would be a more secure option for Trump to play golf.
Joe Biden agrees to provide added security to Donald Trump after second assassination attempt
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump spoke over the phone on Monday to discuss the recent assassination attempt. Biden agreed to provide the GOP nominee with whatever security was needed to ensure his safety, according to The New York Times.
Trump reportedly informed Biden that his Secret Service detail had requested additional security personnel. Biden responded that securing congressional funding would be necessary to fulfill that request.
Sitting presidents usually have substantially stronger security than former presidents, but the two assassination attempts on Trump’s life have raised questions about what resources he should be granted.
Ryan Routh's lengthy arrest record
Ryan Routh reportedly has a lengthy arrest record in Guilford County, where he was once a resident of Greensboro, according to Fox News. His arrest record in Guilford County spans between the 1980s and 2010.
Ryan Routh's charges include writing multiple bad checks, felony firearm possession, possession of a stolen vehicle, and multiple counts of possession of a weapon of mass destruction in 2002.
Look at the plain clothes good ol boys. The body cam footage of Ryan Routh’s arrest is so delightfully Florida. pic.twitter.com/npYGWxsEin
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) September 16, 2024
Ryan’s neighbor Kim Mungo described his family as "weird," recounting, "He had a horse in the house. I mean, a whole live horse in the house. But I could see the guns and stuff and all. They were … oh, I mean, kind of weird. But they didn't bother me. I didn't bother them."
She added, "I told all my friends because they didn't believe me. It's just crazy to me. He was a good guy. He was sweet."