A suspect identified as Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested following an alleged assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Secret Service has since come under fire after admitting that it did not search the perimeter of the property, where Routh had reportedly hidden for nearly 12 hours, as the Guardian reports.

The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of Secret Service protocols and prompted calls for additional funding to bolster protective operations.

Donald Trump was playing golf with an associate when the incident occurred. The attempted attack was foiled when a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of a gun in the bushes and opened fire, prompting Routh to flee. The suspect, 58-year-old Routh, was arrested shortly after the incident while driving a black Nissan.

Concerns Over Security Lapses Grow

Routh did not fire a shot during the incident, and according to Secret Service officials, he never had Trump in his direct line of sight. Nevertheless, the event has sparked widespread concern over how Routh managed to evade detection for such a long time. His presence was eventually confirmed using mobile phone data, leading many to question why more wasn’t done to secure the area beforehand.

Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. confirmed that Trump’s golf outing had not been listed on his official schedule. This detail has led to speculation about how Routh knew Trump would likely be at the West Palm Beach course that day. “The president wasn’t even really supposed to go there,” Rowe explained.

Secret Service Faces Criticism for Oversight

Critics have voiced concerns about the Secret Service’s ability to protect Trump and other high-profile figures. Beth Celestini, a retired Secret Service agent who protected former President Barack Obama, expressed alarm at the situation.

“I’m very concerned at reports that the suspect allegedly was in the bushes for 11 hours,” she said. Celestini emphasized that the Secret Service has protocols designed to prevent situations like this, stating, “This suspect should have been discovered before the incident.”

Ronald Layton, a retired veteran agent, also questioned the agency’s preparedness. “Was this just luck that you caught this guy, or did you have the appropriate mechanisms in place for these kinds of things on the threat spectrum?” he asked.

Trump Calls for More Security

Following the near-attack, Trump himself has called for additional Secret Service protection. “We do need more people on my detail,” he stated, further fueling the debate over whether the agency is adequately resourced to protect high-profile targets like the former president.

Routh’s criminal history has also added to the concern. He had previously been flagged for threats of violence in Ukraine, and warnings about him were reportedly passed to U.S. customs and border protection officers in 2022. His past behavior has raised further questions about how he was able to get so close to Trump undetected.

Past Assassination Attempt Raises Stakes

This is not the first time Trump has been targeted. A previous assassination attempt occurred in July in Butler, Pennsylvania, when Trump was grazed by a bullet. The recent event in West Palm Beach has heightened the urgency of discussions regarding Secret Service resources and the need for additional security measures, especially as the November election approaches.

Secret Service officials have pointed to the growing challenges they face in securing Trump’s safety. Acting Director Rowe has asked Congress for more funding to help meet these increased mission requirements. “The increased mission requirements of the Secret Service necessitate additional resources to ensure that we have the tools, resources, and personnel needed to meet these new requirements,” Rowe stated.

Funding Battle Complicated by Politics

The funding request comes at a time of political uncertainty, as a potential government shutdown looms. A continuing resolution on government spending is currently stalled, complicating the Secret Service’s efforts to secure the additional resources it says are needed.

Despite the political wrangling, President Joe Biden has voiced his support for increased funding for the Secret Service. “The [Secret] Service needs more help,” Biden said, adding that the agency “should respond to their needs.”

Conclusion

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a West Palm Beach golf course has raised serious concerns about the Secret Service’s ability to protect high-profile figures.

Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the case, managed to remain undetected for nearly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent spotted him.

Critics, including former agents, have questioned how Routh evaded detection and why the Secret Service did not secure the area more thoroughly.

Calls for increased funding to improve the agency’s security protocols have intensified, with both Trump and Biden supporting additional resources for the agency. However, political challenges could delay the funding needed to meet the Secret Service’s growing mission requirements.