Trump’s campaign requests military aircraft and armored vehicles in response to threats from Iran

Trump’s campaign requests military aircraft and armored vehicles in response to threats from Iran
In this photo taken on September 21, 2024 US Secret Service agents and local law enforcement agents stand in position on the roof nearby as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. (Getty Images via AFP)
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Updated 12 October 2024
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Trump’s campaign requests military aircraft and armored vehicles in response to threats from Iran

Trump’s campaign requests military aircraft and armored vehicles in response to threats from Iran

NEW YORK: Donald Trump ‘s aides have requested a slew of stepped-up security measures, including military aircraft capable of shooting down surface-to-air missiles to transport the former president in the race’s final stretch, amid growing concerns over threats from Iran in a campaign already shaken by violence.

The campaign’s highly unusual request comes as the Republican candidate faces death threats from Iran, which has also targeted other former Trump administration officials and has also been blamed for a widespread hack of top campaign officials. Trump narrowly survived one assassination attempt and US Secret Service agents foiled a second, though neither case has been publicly linked to Iranian actors.

Beyond a military plane, the campaign has asked for special armored vehicles typically reserved for sitting presidents, expanded temporary flight restrictions over his rallies and his residences, reimbursements for decoy aircraft, and more money for the US Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies that assist in Trump’s protection.




On January 22, 2021, this image showing a figure of former US President Donald Trump playing golf was posted on Twitter (now known as X) from Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei's account, under the shadow of a warplane alongside a pledge to avenge a deadly 2020 drone strike the former president ordered. Trump's campaign is now asking for additional security, fearing retaliation from Iran. (Twitter/File photo)

Both Trump and his staff have complained that he is being restricted from campaigning the way he wants to because the agency lacks the resources to keep him safe.

The Secret Service insisted Friday that Trump is already “receiving the highest levels of protection.” And President Joe Biden told reporters that he would be happy to approve Trump’s request to use military aircraft in the final stages of the campaign, as long as “he doesn’t ask for F-15s.”

“Look, what I’ve told the department is to give him every single thing he needs for his — as if he were a sitting president,” he said. “Give him all that he needs. If it fits within that category, that’s fine. But it doesn’t, he shouldn’t.”

The new security requests were first reported by the New York Times.

The campaign and Secret Service have gone back and forth

The Trump campaign’s requests were outlined in a letter to acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe Jr. from senior Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles and obtained by The Associated Press.

She asked the Secret Service to pre-position the ballistic glass that Trump now uses for protection at his outdoor rallies in the seven battleground states where he is expected to spend the majority of time in the race’s final stretch.

Currently, it takes more than a week’s notice to position the barriers in the right place, according to a person familiar with the requests who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters. Trump aides see that advance notice as unrealistic given the frenetic nature of the final days of a campaign, when schedules are adjusted based on incoming polls and campaign strategy, the person said.

In a statement, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that since the attempted assassination on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the agency “has made comprehensive enhancements to its communications capabilities, resourcing and protective operations” and that Trump “is receiving the highest levels of protection.”

He said the Department of Defense regularly provides assistance for Trump’s protection, including canine units, and that the Secret Service has been restricting air traffic over the former president’s residence and when he travels.

“Additionally, the former President is receiving the highest level of technical security assets, which include unmanned aerial vehicles, counter unmanned aerial surveillance systems, ballistics and other advanced technology systems,” he said.

Former American presidents are able to use military airlift only if requested by the current president. In April, for instance, former President Bill Clinton used one as he led a US delegation to Rwanda. On Sept. 11, 2021, Biden, Clinton, and former President Barack Obama flew to a remembrance in New York.

Trump has accused Biden of denying him resources

The Trump campaign for weeks now has accused the US Secret Service of forcing it to cancel or scale back events due to a lack of resources.

That includes a speech in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, held the same week as the UN General Assembly in New York, that was scaled back because the Secret Service couldn’t secure a larger rally.

Trump has accused Biden of intentionally denying security resources to help Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent, by preventing him from addressing large crowds.

“They couldn’t give me any help. And I’m so angry about it because what they’re doing is interfering in the election,” he said in a recent Fox News interview.

Trump, however, has repeatedly praised his own security detail, commending them for their bravery.

While the Secret Service says Trump already has presidential-level protection, there are differences. Both Biden and Harris, for instance, have military assets, including planes.

Beyond her Sept. 30 letter, Wiles has also spoken with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and others about her concerns about Trump’s security and how his ability to campaign has been curtailed by threats.

Zients, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of their conversation, connected Wiles to Homeland Security Department and Secret Service leadership after she reached out and made clear that Biden had directed the Secret Service to provide the highest level of protection for Trump.

In a separate letter, Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, who is close to Trump, urged the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, White House and Department of Defense to deploy additional military assets to protect Trump in the face of Iranian threats. He requested that Trump be provided with a military passenger aircraft like those used by cabinet secretaries.

Trump aides call for action against Iran

Trump has been targeted by Iran, which is believed to want retaliation for his administration’s killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

In August, a Pakistani man alleged to have links to Iran was charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on US soil. Law enforcement did not name the targets of the alleged plot, but legal filings suggest Trump was a potential target.

Iranian hackers have also been charged with stealing information from Trump’s campaign and trying to pass it along to news organizations. In May, prosecutors say, the men charged began trying to penetrate the Trump campaign, successfully breaking into the email accounts of campaign officials and other Trump allies. They then sought to “weaponize” the stolen campaign material by sending unsolicited emails to people associated with Biden’s campaign. None of the recipients who worked for Biden responded.

Trump’s campaign has complained that the Biden White House has downplayed the death threats.

“This administration spends more time focused on a hack of emails than they do the Iranians who are trying to kill Donald Trump,” Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita told reporters in Pennsylvania last weekend. He noted that former President Clinton deployed cruise missiles in retaliation for an Iraqi plot to assassinate former President George H.W. Bush.

“You know he did? He sent a bunch of cruise missiles to send a message,” LaCivita complained. “All they do is put out a press release.”

In a statement, National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the Biden administration has been “closely tracking Iranian threats against former President Trump and former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration.”

“We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority, and we strongly condemn Iran for these brazen threats,” Savett added, warning that: “Should Iran attack any of our citizens, including those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences.”


Saudi interior minister visits Interpol head office

Saudi interior minister visits Interpol head office
Updated 54 sec ago
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Saudi interior minister visits Interpol head office

Saudi interior minister visits Interpol head office

LYON, France: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif visited Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France on Thursday where he was received by the organization’s president, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi.

During the visit, Prince Abdulaziz affirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing support for Interpol and its efforts to strengthen international cooperation in combating transnational crime.

He praised its role in supporting international security efforts and enhancing cooperation among security agencies around the world.

Interpol's current president is from the United Arab Emirates. Al-Raisi was elected at the 89th General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkiye, in November 2021. His term ends this year.

 


Saudi Arabia welcomes 1.2 million Umrah pilgrims 

Saudi Arabia welcomes 1.2 million Umrah pilgrims 
Updated 50 min 10 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia welcomes 1.2 million Umrah pilgrims 

Saudi Arabia welcomes 1.2 million Umrah pilgrims 
  • Number of Umrah visa holders entering Saudi Arabia this year up 30 percent from last year’s
  • Pilgrims have been able to secure Umrah permits directly through the Nusuk mobile application

JEDDAH:  Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reported that more than 1.2 million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom to perform Umrah since the season launched. The faithful have traveled from 109 countries worldwide, reflecting surging international interest and the Kingdom’s enhanced service capabilities for religious visitors.

Ministry data shows a significant 30 percent jump in Umrah visa holders entering Saudi Arabia this year compared to the same period last year. Visa issuances also climbed 27 percent, while more than 4,200 partnership agreements were executed between domestic Umrah service providers and international agents, bolstering the Kingdom’s capacity to accommodate the influx of pilgrims.

The Umrah season was launched with digital visa processing handled through the government’s Nusuk platform. The scheme represents the latest advancement in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to streamline religious tourism as part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s comprehensive modernization blueprint.

Pilgrims have been able to secure Umrah permits directly through the Nusuk mobile application, which functions as a centralized digital gateway for pilgrim services. The platform offers streamlined booking and permit processing, complemented by additional digital tools designed to improve the overall pilgrimage experience.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘King Tyrant’ by Mark P. Witton

What We Are Reading Today: ‘King Tyrant’ by Mark P. Witton
Updated 01 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘King Tyrant’ by Mark P. Witton

What We Are Reading Today: ‘King Tyrant’ by Mark P. Witton

Tyrannosaurus rex is the world’s favorite dinosaur, adored by the public and the subject of intense study and debate by paleontologists.

This stunningly illustrated book brings together everything we have learned about T. rex — the “King of the Tyrant Lizards”— since it was first given its famous name in 1905.

It presents these creatures as science knows them rather than the version portrayed in movies, revealing them to be dramatically different, and far more amazing, than ever imagined.


Islamic Jihad publishes video of Israeli hostage held in Gaza

Islamic Jihad publishes video of Israeli hostage held in Gaza
Updated 31 July 2025
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Islamic Jihad publishes video of Israeli hostage held in Gaza

Islamic Jihad publishes video of Israeli hostage held in Gaza
  • Of the 251 people taken from Israel that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, 27 of whom are dead, according to the Israeli army
  • Rom Braslavksi was a security agent at the Nova music festival, one of the sites attacked in October 2023 by Hamas

GAZA CITY: The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad published a video Thursday of an Israeli-German hostage who was abducted to Gaza in October 2023 during the attack that sparked the Gaza war.

In the six-minute video, the male hostage, speaking in Hebrew, is seen watching recent news footage of the hunger crisis in Gaza. He identifies himself and pleads with the Israeli government to secure his release.

AFP was not immediately able to confirm the authenticity of the video nor the date it was filmed, but was able — along with several Israeli news outlets — to identify the hostage as Rom Braslavksi, a German-Israeli dual national.

Islamic Jihad announced last week that it had lost contact with the hostage and repeats this in commentary at the beginning of the latest video, suggesting the images were filmed more than a week ago.

A previous video of Braslavski was released on April 16.

Originally from Jerusalem, Braslavski was a security agent at the Nova music festival, one of the sites attacked in October 2023 by Hamas and other Palestinian fighters, including members of Islamic Jihad.

The footage, distributed by a movement considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, shows the young man watching an Arabic-language television channel broadcasting a report on hunger in Gaza.

Before his abduction, he rescued several festivalgoers, according to witnesses who managed to escape.

Of the 251 people taken from Israel that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, 27 of whom are dead, according to the Israeli army.

Israel has been fighting Hamas in Gaza since the kidnappings, but a truce from January 19 to March 17 allowed the return of 33 hostages to Israel, eight of them dead, in exchange for the release of approximately 1,800 Palestinians from Israeli jails.


Slovenia says will ban weapons trade with Israel over Gaza conflict

Slovenia says will ban weapons trade with Israel over Gaza conflict
Updated 31 July 2025
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Slovenia says will ban weapons trade with Israel over Gaza conflict

Slovenia says will ban weapons trade with Israel over Gaza conflict
  • “Slovenia is the first European country to ban the import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel,” the government said
  • It said it was moving ahead “independently” because the bloc was “unable to adopt concrete measures”

LJUBLJANA: Slovenia said Thursday that it will ban all weapons trade with Israel over the war in Gaza, in what it said is a first by an EU nation.

Slovenia’s government has frequently criticized Israel over the conflict, and last year moved to recognize a Palestinian state as part of efforts to end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible.

“Slovenia is the first European country to ban the import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel,” the government said in a statement late Thursday.

It said it was moving ahead “independently” because the bloc was “unable to adopt concrete measures... due to internal disagreements and disunity.”

Amid the devastating war in Gaza, where “people... are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied them,” it was the “duty of every responsible state to take action, even if it means taking a step ahead of others,” the statement said.

It added that the government had not issued any permits for the export of military weapons and equipment to Israel since October 2023 because of the conflict.

Early in July, Slovenia — also in a EU first — banned two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country.

It declared both Israelis “persona non grata,” accusing them of inciting “extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians” with “their genocidal statements.”

In June 2024, Slovenia’s parliament passed a decree recognizing Palestinian statehood, following in the steps of Ireland, Norway and Spain, in moves partly fueled by condemnation of Israel’s bombing of Gaza after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.