U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and other Republican senators on Tuesday called for increased U.S. Secret Service protection for former President Donald Trump following a second apparent assassination attempt on his life.
In a letter, Sen. Scott and other lawmakers said the Secret Service "has failed to address the security failures" that occurred during the first attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania in July.
The letter calls for Trump to receive the same level of Secret Service protection given to sitting presidents.
"It is imperative that the USSS detail assigned to President Trump be afforded additional protective resources, including greater staffing capabilities that would allow agents to secure a broader perimeter," the letter reads.
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Trump, who is the GOP presidential nominee, has praised his security detail, saying on Monday that the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies that responded to the apparent assassination attempt had done a "great job."
But according to reporting in the New York Times Tuesday, the acting director of the Secret Service has told Trump he would need "significant" extra security if he intends to keep participating in golfing outings like the one that was interrupted on Sunday.
It's not immediately clear if Trump plans to account for security changes, or adjust his golf habits.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday said she had confidence in Secret Service protection. She said she felt safe, but said she understood concerns that protection wasn't adequate.
"I have Secret Service protection, but that doesn’t change my perspective on the importance of fighting for the safety of everybody in our country," Harris said.
