Trump says Secret Service to step up protections on outdoor rallies

Former President Trump in a Truth Social post on Saturday said he will keep doing outdoor rallies in the wake of an assassination attempt against him earlier this month, adding that the Secret Service will heighten protections at those rallies.

“I WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUTDOOR RALLIES, AND SECRET SERVICE HAS AGREED TO SUBSTANTIALLY STEP UP THEIR OPERATION,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “THEY ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING SO. NO ONE CAN EVER BE ALLOWED TO STOP  OR IMPEDE FREE SPEECH OR GATHERING!!!”

Trump did not provide any details on what additional steps the Secret Service might take to ensure security at outdoor ralles. The Secret Service has come under fiery bipartisan criticism over its handling of the rally where a shooter fired on Trump, killing a rally attendee and wounding two others. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday.

The shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed after firing on the president.

The former president’s comments follow him saying Friday that he will head back to Butler, Pa., where the assassination attempt occurred, for another campaign rally.

“I will be going back to Butler, Pennsylvania for a big and beautiful rally, honoring the soul of our beloved firefighting hero, Corey, and those brave patriots injured two weeks ago. What a day it will be — fight, fight fight! Stay tuned for details,” Trump wrote.

Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, was killed at the rally.

The Secret Service has pushed for the former president and his team to halt holding big outdoor rallies in the wake of the shooting, sources close to the situation said, according to a Tuesday report from The Washington Post.

In the wake of the shooting, Trump could be seen sporting a bandage on one of his ears. However, at an event hosted by the conservative Christian organization Turning Point Action Friday, Trump said he removed “the last bandage off of my ear.”

“As I think you can see, I’ve recovered well and, in fact, just took off the last bandage off of my ear,” the former president said.

In an email to The Hill, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said making sure of “the safety and security of our protectees is our highest priority.”

“In the interest of maintaining operational integrity, we are not able to comment on specifics of our protective means or methods,” he continued.

This story was updated at 2:09 p.m.