The Secret Service says it won’t beef up security at the Republican National Convention following the failed assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.
Just hours after a bullet grazed Trump’s ear at a rally in Butler, Penn., Trump announced he would still attend his party’s convention in Milwaukee, Wis. this coming week, where he’ll be confirmed as the party’s presidential nominee.
The RNC is already classified as a National Special Security Event, which holds the highest level of security planning and coordination across government agencies.
Secret Service RNC coordinator Audrey Gibson-Cicchino said planning has been underway for 18 months.
“We’re not anticipating any changes to our operational security plans for this event,” she told reporters Sunday.
Milwaukee police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the event will proceed securely, adding, “by land, sea and air, we have resources.”
Trump was addressing a crowd of thousands Saturday at 6:11 p.m. as the sound of bullets rang across the Butler Farm Show grounds. The Secret Service rushed on stage and swarmed the former president, whose ear was grazed by one of the lone gunman’s bullets.
Trump rose seconds later, blood dripping from his ear, and pumped his fist in the air, chanting “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
In a post to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said he thought about delaying his trip to the RNC but decided he “cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else.”
The RNC will welcome more than 50,000 attendees, including 2,400 elected Republican delegates who will formally vote for Trump to be their presidential candidate. The convention also serves as a time to hear from emerging party leaders and to energize supporters.
The convention will also focus on national security, immigration and the economy — all top of mind issues for voters heading into the Nov. 5 election.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump wrote on social media. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.”
The former president also acknowledged the man who lost his life after being struck by gunfire on Saturday. Corey Comperatore, 50, a volunteer fire chief, was killed while shielding his wife and daughter.
Two other Trump supporters were critically injured. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was killed by a law enforcement sniper.
The Secret Service has come under fire for failing to stop the shooter, who was around 150 yards from the former president. Conservative political commentator Dan Bongino told Fox News that “repeated requests to increase the security footprint around (Trump)” have been rejected.
“The Secret Service director has completely failed, and candidly, should resign today,” Bongino said.
Witnesses told True North on Saturday that a suspicious package was found near the grounds. That testimony was confirmed Sunday, with a law enforcement source telling CBS News that bomb material was found in both the gunman’s residence and vehicle.
The devices are being described by the FBI as “rudimentary.”
U.S. President Joe Biden said he was ordering an independent security review of the lead-up to the event, but would not call the shooting an assassination attempt.
“I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some comment — anymore comments,” he said Saturday night.