The U.S. Secret Service issued a statement to ABC News in response to questions about a Washington Post report that top U.S. Secret Service officials "repeatedly denied requests for additional resources and personnel sought by former President Donald Trump's security detail in the two years leading up to his attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13."
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi issued a statement to ABC News, saying, "The Secret Service has a vast, dynamic and intricate mission. Every day we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure our protectees are safe and secure across multiple events, travel and other challenging environments. We execute a comprehensive and layered strategy to balance personnel, technology and specialized operational needs."
Guglielmi added, "In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee. This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee."
A source familiar with Secret Service processes told ABC News that the Washington Post story is generally accurate but makes clear that though requests for additional resources were not always fully granted, adjustments were made to accommodate the security needs.
In instances where Trump attended non-campaign events like football games, measures were taken to control his movement in areas that could more effectively be controlled, such as using tunnels and passageways, and Secret Service personnel were posted with hand-held magnetometers to screen people in close proximity to the former president, according to the source.
There were also instances when, if requested Secret Service counter-sniper teams were not available, sniper teams from local law enforcement agencies were used to augment security, the source said.
-ABC News' Jack Date and Pierre Thomas
