Trump says he will still hold outdoor rallies after shooting despite Secret Service warnings

Former President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Saturday morning that he’ll continue holding outdoor rallies even after the attempt on his life on July 13 during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“I WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUTDOOR RALLIES, AND SECRET SERVICE HAS AGREED TO SUBSTANTIALLY STEP UP THEIR OPERATION,” the former president wrote. “THEY ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING SO. NO ONE CAN EVER BE ALLOWED TO STOP OR IMPEDE FREE SPEECH OR GATHERING!!!”

This week, Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle stepped down after members of Congress called for her resignation. She announced her decision on Tuesday after admitting that the shooting had been “the most significant operational failure” for the Secret Service in “decades.”

“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in an email to staff obtained by the AP. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”

Trump is set to rally supporters in St Cloud, Minnesota on Saturday night at an indoor arena, the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

This comes after Secret Service officials urged the Trump campaign to stop organizing outdoor events following the attempted assassination when the former president was struck by a bullet in the ear. One rally attendee, 50-year-old former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, was shot and killed as he shielded his family from the gunfire, and two people were seriously injured.

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The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by Secret Service snipers.

Following the shocking incident in Butler, the Secret Service has communicated its concerns with Trump officials about holding such events with big crowds, sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post earlier this week.

Trump has held hundreds of outdoor rallies since launching his first presidential bid, which have been known to attract thousands of zealous supporters. Some events even feature tailgate-style parties, complete with merchandise sellers.

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Rallies have been held at airports, fairgrounds, football stadiums, and other large outdoor venues. Sarah Matthews, a former Trump spokeswoman turned critic, said that crowd size had always been important to the former president.

Trump would often get upset if people were not moved past the magnetometers quickly enough and the outdoor venues were not filling up.

“It gives him a lot of joy and energy being with large crowds. He feeds off their energy. It’s almost like a source of comfort for him,” Matthews, who served as a deputy press secretary in the Trump White House, told The Washington Post.