THE US Secret Service is under immense pressure to protect Donald Trump after a possible third attempt on his life in only four months, an expert told The Sun.
Security specialist Will Geddes said that although the most recent threat to the former president may have been a false alarm – protection in the run-up to the November election is vital.
Will explained: “The greatest level of pressure right now is on the head of the Secret Service.
“It is essential that they are absolutely on their game, and they are fully aware of what is going on, and that they are applying their best practices to the protection of Donald Trump.
“All of us within the security sector, I believe, were not naive enough to believe that the very first assassination attempt on Donald Trump was going to be the very last.
“It was inevitable that we were going to see future or further attacks, and whether this particular instance falls into that category again that has yet to be decided.”
He warned: “The closer we get to those elections in November, the greater the chances are that there will be subsequent attempts on Donald Trump’s life.”
Las Vegas resident Vem Miller, 49, was arrested in California on Saturday just a mile from one of Donald Trump‘s campaign rallies.
Driving an SUV with fake plates and carrying false identification, press cards and two unregistered firearms, Miller was taken into custody.
Riverdale County Sheriff Chad Bianco said he believes Miller intended to kill the Republican presidential candidate and that local police prevented an attack.
The closer we get to those elections in November, the greater the chances are that there will be subsequent attempts on Donald Trump’s life
Will Geddes
Miller has vehemently denied the charges after being released on bail yesterday – insisting he is an avid Trump supporter – and the incident is not being investigated as an attempt on his life.
Just weeks ago another man was charged with attempting to kill the White House nominee after staking him out on a golf course in Florida.
And in July Trump took a bullet to the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania when he was shot at mid-speech.
The Secret Service came under intense scrutiny for failing to spot and prevent shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks from unleashing bullets into the crowd.
Trump’s speech on Saturday at Calhoun Ranch, Riverside County, was delivered from behind a bulletproof glass screen in light of the attempts on his life.
Will said of the Secret Service: “They have already lost face, and they will continue to lose face, should they fail again.
“The Secret Service will have been entirely discredited worldwide, and may even have to be entirely overhauled.”
He explained how this weekend’s incident came down to local police, in this case the Riverside County Sheriff’s department, to intercept Miller – a “suspicious individual”.
“It was the Riverside County sheriff… inevitably it will be a local police department whenever Donald Trump has one of these rallies, who will be providing that outer cordon of security,” Will said.
Miller was arrested about a mile outside of the central rally when police spotted his fake license plates.
Will said: “So how much credit can be given to the Secret Service?
“The Riverside County sheriff’s department were very much on their game.
“Two deputies that identified this vehicle, namely, by a fake registration plate… they then subjected him to a closer scrutiny.”
The security pro added that after looking at Miller’s “social media and his interactions with the Republican party” it could be unlikely that he was planning an attempt on Trump’s life.
Neither the FBI or the Secret Service are looking at the case as an attempted assassination, according to reports, and Miller was released on a bail of $5,000 after one night in custody.
Sources close to the Trump campaign also told US media there had been no assassination attempt at the Coachella rally.
Will said: “[Trump] is seen as the most potentially viable target by any opposing element in removing or eliminating him.
“Inevitably he has to make himself more visible, more public, more in touch and in reach with his electorate, to be able to stand a good opportunity of potentially winning the elections.
“It is important to see that security, whether that be delivered by the Secret Services, or whether it be by the county sheriffs, in whichever country he is holding a rally, are very much on their game, and they are in attendance.
“The Secret Service have not been proven yet to really be, as I would hope to be, fully on their game other than the last recent alleged attempt on the golf course.”
Who is Vem Miller?
Miller was caught at a checkpoint only a mile from the crowds in Coachella on Saturday when cops spotted an “obviously fake” homemade licence plate on his black SUV.
Both weapons were unregistered and Miller was also carrying drivers’ licenses and passports under different names.
He appears to be part of the right-wing, anti-government “Sovereign Citizens” movement which resists the use of number plates and official ID.
The Las Vegas resident has previously shared pictures online with plenty of high-profile figures including former US presidential candidate and Trump supporter Robert Kennedy Jr, actor Dennis Quiad and controversial Canadian professor Dr Jordan Peterson.
He has also posed up with far-right conspiracist and infamous Capitol riot frontman, the QAnon shaman, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and disgraced comedian Russel Brand.
Miller told Southern California News Group after his release on Sunday: “These accusations are complete b******t.
“I’m an artist, I’m the last person that would cause any violence and harm to anybody.
“I’ve literally never even shot a gun in my life.
“I don’t know anything about guns,” he added.
The Sovereign Citizen movement is an anti-government group widely considered to be based on conspiracy theories about US law.
Members claim they are not subject to any kind of legislation unless they consent, marking themselves as separate or “sovereign” from the government and wider society.
They view most forms of tax as illegitimate and don’t subscribe to Social Security numbers, drivers licenses or vehicle registration.
The FBI has described the group as a domestic terror threat – placing it in the same category as eco-terrorists and animal rights extremists.
Timeline of assassination attempts on Donald Trump's life
July 13 – Thomas Crooks shot Donald Trump in the ear after hiding on a roof overlooking the former President’s outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Crooks was killed by Secret Service snipers after he fired eight shots at Trump and killed one rallygoer and injured two others.
The bullet came less than a quarter of an inch from striking Trump’s head, Ronny Jackson, the former president’s physician, said.
September 15 – Ryan Routh was seen by a Secret Service agent hiding in the bushes with a rifle at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida.
Trump was playing a round of golf when the alleged would-be assassin managed to get within 400 yard of Trump.
Routh fled the scene in an SUV but was caught by cops and arrested.
October 12 – Riverside County Sheriffs believe Vem Miller tried to enter a Trump rally in Coachella, California, with the intention of killing the President.
They stopped him at the perimeter before Trump had even arrived and booked the 49-year-old on two gun charges.
Sheriff Chad Bianco said it would be up to federal officials to investigate Miller for the alleged assassination, but he believed his deputies had stopped a “third assassination attempt”.
