MILWAUKEE – The Secret Service will make no changes to security at the Republican National Convention in the aftermath of an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, the agency said Sunday.
“We are confident in the plans that we have and are moving forward with those plans,” Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s RNC convention coordinator, told reporters.
The Secret Service said it will not change up security plans for former President Trump after Saturday’s assassination attempt. AFP via Getty ImagesTrump, 78, will arrive in Milwaukee on Sunday ahead of the four-day convention during which he will be formally named the Republican nominee for president.
Earlier in the day, President Biden announced that he had directed the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to “review all security measures” for the GOP convention in light of the shooting at a Trump rally Saturday that left the former president bloodied, one rally-goer dead and two more injured.
The Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee, starting Monday. Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAYHere’s the latest on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
- Would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks visited gun range dozens of times — including Christmas — for ‘intense preparation’
- Newly surfaced texts show Trump rally gunman was on authorities’ radar more than 90 minutes before shooting: report
- FBI to conduct victim interview with Donald Trump after assassination attempt
- Ex-Trump doc says FBI’s Wray is ‘wrong’ to doubt ex-prez was struck by bullet: ‘Absolutely no evidence’
- Trump defends female Secret Service agent who was criticized after assassination attempt: ‘So brave’
“That security plan will remain in place,” Gibson-Cicchino said, referencing the current security footprint, which will allow armed protesters to enter a so-called “soft perimeter” near the convention site.
Closer to Fiserv Forum, where Trump and other GOP pols will address delegates, a “hard” perimeter has been set up by the Secret Service, restricting those parts of downtown Mikwaukee to only credentialed convention attendees.
RNC officials and the Secret Service have spent 18 months making security preparations for the thousands of delegates, politicians, press and protesters that have already descended on the Midwestern city for the conference, which starts on Monday.
The RNC and Secret Service has spent 18 months preparing for the convention. JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockFears of potential violence, especially within the soft perimeter, have grown since the attempt on Trump’s life.
Vehicles will be required to pass through security checkpoints to get into the outer perimeter, but the area is otherwise open to the public.
Protests have already been planned inside the soft perimeter area.
Wisconsin is an open-carry state, meaning that protesters and others within the soft security zone are legally allowed to hold firearms.
Democratic state Gov. Tony Evers on Sunday reportedly requested that the Secret Service move to reconsider allowing firearms within the soft perimeter, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Secret Service agents surround the stage as other agents cover Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. APGibson-Cicchino told reporters that she was unaware of Evers’ request.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavaliar Johnson said it is not within the city government’s “purview to ban weapons” and noted that the convention has already received a national special security event designation, the highest possible.
“I’m very comfortable in regards to the plans we’ve made together,” Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said Sunday, backing the Secret Service’s decision not to up security.
Norman noted that the inner perimeter for the event is the largest that has ever been put in place for a political convention.
“We got this,” he said confidently.
The Secret Service official did answer questions related to allegations of a security failure at the deadly Butler, Pa., Trump rally.






