CNN law enforcement reporter Whitney Wilde pressed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on whether she had stepped up security for former President Trump “in every way,” saying her answer “sounds like no.”
U.S. authorities were aware of a suspected Iranian plot to kill President Trump before Saturday's assassination attempt, and the Secret Service had stepped up security for the president, according to people briefed on the matter. Said CNN. Speaking on CNN News Central, Wilde asked Cheatle whether security for “all elements” of President Trump had been “stepped up” since the Secret Service became aware of “this credible threat.” (Related: Good news for victim shot in chest and liver during assassination attempt on President Trump)
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'That appears to be a no': CNN correspondent questions Secret Service director's response on increased protection for Trump pic.twitter.com/mcB4Mj0xYK
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“After learning of this credible threat, was every element, every part, strengthened from intelligence to counterattack teams to platoon members to replacements — from the top to the bottom of the forward movement and operation?” Wild asked.
“The increase that we provided was what we felt was appropriate for the former president and the particular event on that day,” Cheatle responded. “We have increased the assets, resources and staff that we have provided to the former president since he was a candidate for president and then when he was a candidate for the nomination. That's all I can say.”
Wilde said Cheatle's response “sounds like a no.”
“I'm never saying no,” Cheatle said, “I'm just saying we continue to increase the resources that we've been providing.”
CNN said there is no known connection between the Iranian plot and the attempt to assassinate President Trump on Saturday by Thomas Matthew Crooks, who grazed President Trump's ear with a bullet while he was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, leading critics to blame the Secret Service for failing to provide security for the rally.
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Tuesday that reports of the alleged Iranian plot gave Saturday's assassination attempt “even more prominence.”
“If this threat had been communicated to the Secret Service, it certainly highlights even more the potential mistakes and lapses that we've all been talking about the last few days,” McCabe said, “because when you receive threat information like this — credible threat information like what's been reported — that's the time to step up and make sure you don't make mistakes, add resources, and make sure all missions are covered as diligently as they did.”
“Yes, if there was a mistake on Saturday, and there appears to have been one, it raises the even bigger question of how such a thing could have happened in the current threat environment,” he added.
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