Trump reveals ‘weakness’ in efforts to keep him safe, says his team ‘long requested’ more manpower

Former President Trump said his security detail has "long requested" more manpower leading up to the assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pa., in July, and said if there’s a "weakness" in efforts to keep him safe, it’s the need for more personnel.

Trump spoke with Fox News host Sean Hannity two days after a second apparent assassination attempt on his life while he was playing golf in West Palm Beach.

"We have long requested more people, more men and women, but more people. And because, you know, we have rallies [of] 50-60,000 [people]. In New Jersey, we had 107,000 people show up. There's never been anything like it. And we have long requested more people. That's true. That's the weakness. If there's a weakness, I really think that's the weakness," he said on "Hannity."

"We have tremendous rallies and crowds, and that's a good thing, but you need more protection. And we've long requested more people. We have, I will say in Butler, we wanted more people. I heard them say it, you know, we need more people here for security. And we never seem to get that. And I think we are getting it now. Somebody told me that they will be providing more people now."

Ronald Rowe, Jr., the acting director of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), told reporters Monday that since the assassination attempt on Trump two months ago, the USSS has moved to increase assets to an "already enhanced security posture" for the 2024 GOP nominee.

Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., introduced bipartisan legislation that would seek to grant both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris the same USSS resources as President Biden.

Suspected would-be assassin Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was charged Monday with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and having a firearm with an obliterated serial number.