Donald Trump will host an outdoor rally in North Carolina on Wednesday, his first public campaign event since nearly escaping an assassination attempt at an open-air engagement a month ago.
Security precautions are being increased for the afternoon rally at an aircraft museum in Asheboro, North Carolina, including the installation of bulletproof glass behind the Republican nominee’s podium, according to US media, citing security and campaign officials.
The Secret Service had advised Trump to avoid having outdoor rallies after the organization tasked with protecting presidents and candidates failed to stop a gunman who fired at him from a rooftop at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounding Trump in the ear and killing one person in the crowd.
Trump, who has held approximately a dozen indoor rallies since the shooting, has openly declared his desire to return to open-air gatherings. On July 31, he assured supporters at an indoor arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, “We’re not giving up the outdoor rallies.”
Days before, the 78-year-old Trump announced on social media that he will continue to hold open-air events, “and the Secret Service has agreed to significantly increase their operations.” They are extremely competent of doing so.”
The Secret Service does not typically comment publicly on security activities, and it does not reply to inquiries for confirmation of the use of bulletproof glass and other enhanced security measures.
The protective detail intends for Trump to speak in front of thousands of rally participants in Asheboro from behind a special see-through protective glass barrier, according to a source familiar with the security procedures.
The glass is comparable to that used in the presidential limousine, which is likewise intended to protect occupants from shootings, according to the publication.
Trump’s rally in Asheboro is an example of counterprogramming. It comes on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where security officials have set up a steel ring around the meeting to formally identify Kamala Harris as the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
Security was particularly tight at last month’s Republican National Convention, which was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just days after the murder attempt.
Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, will take the stage at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame. The museum’s Facebook page features photos of bleachers built up for thousands of people, as well as instructions from the Trump-Vance campaign that the event will take place outdoors.
North Carolina is one of a few swing states predicted to decide the outcome of the November 5 election.