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Trump’s campaign is calling for more military support to protect the former president

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has requested additional security measures similar to what a sitting president would receive amid increased threats against the former president’s life, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.

Late last month, Trump campaign co-manager Susie Wiles contacted White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients to ask the administration to provide military resources, including armored cars, in-flight protection and temporary airspace restrictions , among other safety measures. said.

When Zients got the call, he immediately connected Wiles to Department of Homeland Security leadership and the Secret Service so she had a direct line, according to a source familiar with the call. Zients also made clear that President Joe Biden had instructed the Secret Service to provide Trump with the highest level of protection, the source said.

A subsequent letter from Wiles to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, reviewed by NBC News, confirmed several of the campaign’s requests. The letter argued that threats to Trump’s security have limited his ability to campaign.

The Trump campaign also requested the deployment of special operations forces to protect Trump, two U.S. officials said. The source with knowledge of the matter denied this, saying that Secret Service officials, not the Trump campaign, had requested special operations forces with the specific task of thwarting potential drone attacks. The campaign declined to comment.

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Trump has faced two alleged assassination attempts in recent months: one at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, in which the gunman was killed, and a second last month, when the Secret Service spotted a man with a gun at the curb . from Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The former president, who was playing golf at the time, was safely evacuated.

Trump was also briefed by intelligence officials about assassination threats from Iran, his campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said last month. Some members of the campaign were also briefed on the Iranian threats, the source familiar with Wiles’ outreach to Zients said.

Since the threats, Trump’s campaign has used additional tactics and evasion maneuvers and is trying to be less predictable in its moves, the source said. In addition, Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., a Trump ally, requested that the former president’s campaign be allowed to use aircraft that detect and deter threats, such as the Boeing C-17 or C-32, also known as “the blue and white ”, which is used by the Vice President as well as members of the Cabinet and Congress. Another option would be to retrofit Trump’s personal plane — an option that the source said would be less feasible given that the election is less than a month away.

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The requests have not been acted upon for weeks, the source said.

A Secret Service spokesman refuted that claim.

“Since the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13, the U.S. Secret Service has made extensive improvements to its communications capabilities, assets and protective operations,” Anthony Guglielmi, the agency’s chief communications officer, said in a statement. “Today the former president receives the highest level of protection.”

In addition, the Defense Department regularly provides assistance for Trump’s protection, including “explosive ordnance disposal, canine units and air transport,” Guglielmi said.

The Secret Service has also taken other steps, including temporary flight restrictions over Trump’s residence and during his travels, Guglielmi said. The former president is also protected by “unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned aerial surveillance systems, ballistics and other advanced technological systems,” he said.

A defense official told NBC News that the “department continues to provide enhanced support to the U.S. Secret Service” for the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Another source said Trump will receive the same level of protection as Biden, so the campaign should not expect more.

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The Pentagon and the Secret Service are both concerned that providing more resources would violate federal law limiting the use of the military for domestic purposes, two officials told NBC News.

In August, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a Department of Homeland Security request for increased support for candidates in locations across the country. This assistance to the Secret Service, under the supervision of the US Northern Command, includes providing explosives experts and technicians who can detect and defend against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as providing communications and transportation. It is similar to the support provided for political conferences and other major events, but may include additional capabilities.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

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