Trump Moving His Rallies Indoors?

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

We don't have confirmation of this yet, but NBC News is reporting that sources inside the Trump organization are saying that the former President plans to start holding many of his rallies indoors in the future following the failed attempt on his life on July 13. There may be some smaller rallies held outdoors, but they will be in places without elevated platforms nearby. During a phone interview with Newsmax last night, Trump repeated his assertion that he had requested additional security coverage on multiple occasions but had not received it. It was also revealed that Trump had originally planned to do an outdoor event outside of the RNC venue on the first day of the convention so he could greet supporters who were arriving or were unable to obtain tickets, but those plans were canceled after the shooting. So if this information is confirmed, it would appear that the assassination attempt has prompted some changes in Donald Trump's strategy for holding events. 

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Former President Donald Trump plans to stop holding outdoor rallies like the one where he was shot during an assassination attempt this month in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to two sources familiar with his campaign’s operations.

The sources said current plans are to hold indoor rallies, but they also said it's possible Trump will participate in smaller outdoor events or larger rallies in facilities where entrances are more fully controlled and there are not issues with high ground nearby, like stadiums.

Spokespeople for the Trump campaign and the Secret Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night.

This will likely come as a disappointment to Trump's army of supporters since massive rallies with tens of thousands of attendees are one of the hallmarks of his campaign. They strike a stark contrast with Joe Biden, who was lucky to be able to fill up a taco shop or an ice cream parlor when he made a public appearance. But given the massive security failures on the part of the Secret Service and the lessons learned on July 13, I suppose it's understandable. If one nutcase out there was willing to try it, it is almost a certainty that there are more of them thinking about it. 

At the same time, though, a decision like this must be chaffing at Trump. Hiding is certainly not part of his brand. He clearly demonstrated that after taking a bullet to the face. I would imagine that he is concerned that a decision like this might convey weakness or fear. But caution or even a reasonable amount of fear can be warranted after it's been demonstrably proven that there is a very real danger to be dealt with. We are well beyond the point of having established that as a fact.

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If the Secret Service can't or won't provide Donald Trump with absolutely the best security perimeter and precautions available, what else is he supposed to do? Even the Secret Service is saying that he should limit his outdoor appearances. Perhaps that is because of a lack of resources. Congress should be able to shift some funding around and correct that, but it wouldn't happen overnight. If it's not resources, then maybe someone further up the chain of command would rather keep Trump off the campaign trail or at least limit his visibility if they can't manage that. I'm sure that probably sounds like I'm veering into conspiracy theory territory at this point, but I would argue that we've seen enough questionable behavior going on that originates from the executive branch at this point to warrant some skepticism.

In the end, at least until the former President's security detail can be brought fully up to snuff, it seems as if we have two options. We can have Donald Trump still in the running with smaller crowds and more confined rallies. Or we can have... I'm sure you can fill in the rest without me having to jinx him by saying it aloud. If we can't get a full and complete accounting of what really happened in Butler, Pennsylvania out of the current crew in Washington, Trump will need to add one more investigation to the endless list awaiting him if and when he returns to office.

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Stephen Moore 8:30 AM | December 15, 2024
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