Former US President Donald Trump’s campaign team confirmed in a press release on Tuesday, September 24th, that following two assassination attempts, Trump has received a briefing from US intelligence agencies warning him of “real and specific assassination threats from Iran.” The National Intelligence Agency Director’s office stated in the briefing that Trump is facing “ongoing threats” from Iran.
The campaign team stated in the press release, “Intelligence officials indicate that these persistent and planned attacks have escalated in severity in recent months,” and law enforcement officials are “coordinating across departments to ensure Trump’s protection and safeguarding election integrity.”
The disclosure of these threats comes as the competition intensifies in the US presidential election. The Republican presidential candidate is scheduled to hold six campaign events this week.
Trump’s campaign team expressed that the conspiracy by the Iranian regime aims to “destabilize America” and “sow seeds of chaos.”
Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung stated, “The Iranian regime is afraid of President Trump’s strength and determination.”
Cheung further emphasized in the press release, “Trump will not be deterred, and he will not allow anything to hinder his fight for the American people and to make America great again.”
Republican lawmakers and Trump’s allies are closely monitoring whether the protection provided by the Secret Service for Trump is sufficient.
Earlier on Tuesday, federal authorities charged suspect Ryan Wesley Routh with attempted assassination. On September 15, while Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach golf course in Florida, a Secret Service agent noticed a gun barrel protruding from bushes and a fence. The agent fired at the concealed gunman.
It was later confirmed that the gunman was 58-year-old Hawaiian man Routh, who was subsequently arrested. He was initially charged with two counts of illegal firearms possession.
Last year, Routh self-published an e-book where he mentioned that Iran could “easily assassinate Trump.”
Prior to Trump’s team receiving the briefing on the “Iranian threat,” Iranian hackers breached Trump’s campaign database and transmitted stolen information to President Joe Biden’s campaign via email.
At the time of the incident, Biden was still running for re-election, and subsequently, Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee.
Epoch Times reached out to Harris’ campaign team for comment on the news regarding the Iranian threat issued by Trump’s campaign team but had not received a response as of press time.
Over the past two months, Trump has survived two assassination attempts. On July 13, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman shot at Trump from a rooftop, resulting in one audience member being killed and Trump and two others being injured.
Security for current and former US presidents and political candidates is the responsibility of the Secret Service. After the first assassination attempt on Trump, security vulnerabilities exposed by the incident have subjected the Secret Service to ongoing scrutiny.
On September 24th, US Republican Senator Josh Hawley wrote to newly appointed Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe questioning an accusation made by a new whistleblower against the Secret Service.
Hawley pointed out in the letter that based on the whistleblower’s account, the Secret Service effectively compelled Trump’s campaign team to cancel a planned campaign event in Wisconsin, while providing security for Vice President Harris’ rally in Madison, Wisconsin on the same night as Trump’s originally scheduled event.
Hawley highlighted that if the accusation is true, it would be a “clear double standard” that is unsettling. He expressed concern that the Secret Service’s actions “may impact the conduct of the presidential campaign activities.” Hawley requested Rowe to respond to questions related to the whistleblower’s allegations within a week.
Epoch Times has requested a comment from the Secret Service on this matter.