In the aftermath of a recent threat to the life of previous U.S. President, Donald Trump, within just over two months of a similar scare, renowned political analyst and former Secret Service officer Dan Bongino has posed the question of potential inside threats within governmental security organizations. ‘Ten years ago I never thought I’d ask this unsettling question, but the current circumstances have left me no other choice,’ said Bongino after a pause. ‘Could there be a traitor inside our Homeland Security or Secret Service?’
Bongino has indicated multiple instances where there have been attempts by external governments or individuals to compromise the integrity of federal agencies. An instance that stands out involves two individuals found guilty of impersonating federal officers in a complex plot that fooled the Secret Service. ‘People, in Secret Service parlance, an Under the Radar (UTR) movement is when someone of the President’s status moves to a location not listed on the official schedule, such as a golf course, with minimum people being privy to such information,’ Bongino elucidated.
‘What adds a layer of intrigue to the incident in question is that the decision for recreational activity was spontaneous. Probably no more than ten people were aware of it at the time the decision was made. How then, did the perp know where to lie in wait?’
On the day in question, Ryan Wesley Routh, aged 58, found himself facing the Secret Service when he pointed a rifle with a sight, through the fence at one of Trump’s golf courses in West Palm Beach. Positioned around 300 yards from Trump, who was engaged in his game of golf without public notice, Routh was subsequently caught after being identified by an onlooker and his vehicle, a black Nissan was found. It was later found out that Routh has traveled to Ukraine in 2022 and had connections with recruiting troops from different countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan, for the Ukrainian Army. His online presence was filled with anti-Trump content and he also contributed to the Biden-Harris campaign in 2020.
Bongino pondered on the fact that Routh, a North Carolinian currently residing in Hawaii, had no knowledge of the local terrain. ‘How did he know where to position himself and timing of Trump’s visit? Folks, the intruder need not be a foreigner. Let’s not fall into the trap of imagining high-intensity thriller movie scenarios. There’s no need to overthink this,’ he said.
‘Could there be a trap inside the Secret Service where someone personnel is involved with another individual who is not what they appear to be? Could the Iranians, who are known to have such similar traps set in Israel and other places, wanting to terminate Trump, have a similar setup here?’ he mused, ‘Do we have the assurance that there isn’t an intricate trap laid where a Secret Service or Homeland security personnel may be entangled, someone who is privy to sensitive information?’
Bongino also cited a number of instances of foreign interference with federal officers, including one incident with which he was personally familiar. He spoke about this and other similar examples during the segment. In anticipation, Bongino had earlier predicted another ‘security situation’ involving Trump, indicating that the Secret Service is currently not in a good state due its prior leadership and lack of congressional supervision.
At a Heritage Foundation forum at the beginning of the month, Eli Crane, Republican representative for Arizona, asked Bongino, ‘Is the Secret Service more responsible today with Director Rowe at its helm?’ Responding to the question, Bongino said, ‘No, it’s worse’. He then foretold that ‘another incident will inevitably occur,’ although he immediately followed it up with ‘I hope and pray to the good Lord that I am mistaken.’
He shared his viewpoint that further incidents would not be surprising, and gave a stern warning about their inevitability, ‘You’d have to be very mistaken to think that this is the end.’ Bongino further predicted that should Trump win the election, the current structure and leadership of the Secret Service might be ill-prepared to ensure his survival until Inauguration Day.