Trump’s security increased ahead of first visit back to Pa. after Butler County rally

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Former President Donald Trump, the official Republican Presidential Nominee, is holding his first rally back in Pennsylvania since an assassination attempt earlier this month in Butler County.

Matt Maisel, the Harrisburg City Communications Director, said Harrisburg City Police will be there for extra support. He said their duties start and end at traffic control in and around the farm show complex.

Maisel said the Secret Service will oversee everything. The ranks then fall to the State Police, and because the farm show complex is a state-owned building, Capitol Police will be involved as well. 

Maisel said they expect many people at the rally, again, Trump’s first one in the state since the assassination attempt on July 13.

Since that day, a lot of eyes have been on the Secret Service, with Former Director Kimberly Cheatle resigning due to security failures and Deputy Director Ronald Rowe taking the lead.

Maisel said Harrisburg police are involved in these high-level security calls because a call for help could happen at any given time, again referencing what we all saw happen in Butler County.

The difference in Harrisburg is that this rally is indoors, inside the farm show complex. The Secret Service has urged Trump to hold indoor rallies since the attempt on his life. Maisel said knowing the area and knowing it well is extremely important for the police during a visit like this.

“With the way the farm show complex works, especially during the farm show in January, and other major events…Harrisburg Police are very familiar with the lay of the land, so to speak. You need to be. You need to be aware of where traffic is coming from. You need to keep all eyes open at all times, they are very well trained to be able to handle a situation like this,’ said Maisel.

Rocky Granata, an attendee, was parked and waiting for gates to open at 4:00 A.M. He told abc27 news, “I’ve been to about 120 rallies, and my friend Mark, this is his first rally here. He’s not really sure if he’s a Democrat or Republican but he’s learning. We travel all around the country, we love doing what we do,” he said.

Doors open for the rally at 2:00 P.M. Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at 6:00 Wednesday evening.

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