Following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Secret Service has advised the Trump campaign to avoid holding outdoor events with large crowds.
The recommendation comes after a gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, shot Trump during the rally.
In response, the campaign is considering indoor venues, such as basketball arenas, which are seen as safer due to better control over access and visibility, despite being more costly and having capacity limits.
“Obviously with an indoor venue, you have a capacity,” one campaign official said. “It doesn’t pack the same punch. There’s something about being at one of those outdoor rallies.”
This shift occurs amid scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security failures, highlighted during a recent congressional hearing where former director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense questioning regarding the agency’s protective measures and ultimately resigned from her position.
