U.S. officials state that former President Donald Trump received heightened Secret Service protection ahead of Saturday’s assassination attempt due to a prior threat originating from Iran.
Scripps News has verified that U.S. security officials had knowledge of an Iranian plot to assassinate the former president, prompting an increase in security measures before the fatal incident at a Trump campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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Speaking anonymously, a national security official informed Scripps News that upon learning of the escalated threat, the White House National Security Council directly contacted the Secret Service to relay the recent developments. The Secret Service then communicated the information to Trump’s campaign team and implemented heightened protective measures around the former President.
These actions occurred prior to the assassination attempt on Saturday, although NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson stated that law enforcement has not established a link between the shooter and the Iranian plot.
Watson explained that the NSC has been monitoring Iranian threats against Trump and his administration for years, stemming from Iran’s desire for retaliation following the killing of a top Iranian military commander by the U.S.
“We view this as a matter of utmost national and Homeland Security importance,” added Watson.
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The Secret Service has not confirmed or denied these developments. However, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle mentioned in a statement on Monday that additional security measures were provided to the former president in June without further details.
Scripps News has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment, but has not received a response at the time of publication.
