Former United States President Donald Trump is set to hold his first outdoor rally since narrowly escaping an assassination attempt at an open-air appearance in Pennsylvania last month.
The rally, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, will take place at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro, North Carolina, with thousands of supporters expected to attend.
In response to the increased security concerns, precautions are being boosted, including the use of bulletproof glass surrounding Trump’s podium. This measure is aimed at protecting the Republican nominee from potential harm.
The Secret Service had previously recommended that Trump avoid outdoor events after the agency failed to prevent a gunman from firing at him from a rooftop at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, injuring Trump in the ear and leaving one person in the crowd dead. Despite this, Trump has publicly expressed his desire to return to open-air events, stating, “we’re not giving up the outdoor rallies.”
On July 31, Trump told supporters at an indoor arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, “we’re not giving up the outdoor rallies.” Days earlier, the 78-year-old Trump posted on social media, “we will continue to hold open-air events, and the Secret Service has agreed to substantially step up their operation. They are very capable of doing so.”
The Secret Service does not normally comment publicly on security operations and did not respond to requests for confirmation of the use of bulletproof glass and other ramped-up security tactics.
According to the Washington Examiner, the protective detail is planning for Trump to speak from behind a special see-through protective glass barrier before thousands of rally attendees in Asheboro. The glass is similar to that used in the presidential limousine, which is also designed to protect occupants from shootings.
Trump’s rally in Asheboro is seen as counter-programming, coinciding with the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where security officials have set up a ring of steel around the gathering that formally names Kamala Harris as the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, after President Joe Biden exited the race.
Security was also airtight at last month’s Republican National Convention, which took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just days after the assassination attempt.
Trump is scheduled to take the stage at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame, along with his running mate, Senate J.D. Vance. The museum has posted photographs of bleachers set up to accommodate thousands of guests, and its Facebook account relays guest instructions from the Trump-Vance campaign stating, “this event will be outdoors.”
The southern state of North Carolina is considered one of a handful of swing states that are expected to determine the outcome of the November 5 election.