An Australian who has trained some of America’s top security experts has revealed the hard lessons former president Donald Trump’s team will have learned from his attempted assassination.
Scott Taylor, founder of Praesidium Risk and Resilience, believes Team Trump will refocus on its evacuation procedures and stricter security checks following the shooting in Pennsylvania on Saturday night local time.
Trump, 78, was interrupted mid-speech by at least eight gunshots from gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20.
The former president suffered an injury to his ear but quickly got to his feet to chant ‘fight’ while holding a fist in the air.
While Mr Taylor admitted the image of a bloodied Trump standing defiant just seconds after the shooting would likely become a ‘defining moment’ of his campaign, he said it showed critical security errors.
‘At that time there could have been a second offender, could have been an explosive device. It wasn’t a secure environment,’ he told Seven News on Sunday night.
‘They should have kept him down and got him all the way through.
‘In my opinion, I think that’s media and politics overtaking safety.’
Scott Taylor, founder of Praesidium Risk and Resilience, believes Donald Trump’s security needs to refocus on their evacuation procedure following Saturday’s assassination attempt
Mr Taylor also offered insight into how Trump’s security team will likely learn from the failed assassination attempt.
‘I think there’ll definitely be some external and further radius checking, for the elevated areas as well,’ he said.
‘I think there’ll be some some additional refocus on some of the training to make sure that those those elements are practising for making sure it’s a smooth evacuation as well.’
While it took the Secret Service just three seconds to get to Crooks, how he managed to get a shot at the former president is a big concern, according to Mr Taylor.
‘There should have been multiple elements that should have been taken care of there as part of the initial assessment and the ongoing crowd surveillance and management,’ he said.
‘The concern here is that the lack of protection around that elevated position.’
The critical insight follows statements from Australian leaders from both sides of parliament who condemned the use of violence in politics and shared relief that Trump escaped serious injury.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as concerning and confronting at snap press conference.
‘Along with all Australians I was shocked by the terrible scenes at former President Trump’s campaign event in Pennsylvania,’ he told reporters.
‘Let us be clear, the people at this event, the candidate, the crowds and the free press covering the event were all participating in the democratic process.
‘In Australia as in the United States, the essence and purpose of our democracy is we can express our views, debate our disagreements and resolve our differences peacefully.
‘Any act of violence is an affront to that and must be condemned unequivocally.’
Mr Taylor (pictured) also condemned Trump’s decision to stand up just seconds after the shooting, explaining there could have been a second shooter
Trump suffered an injury to his ear while one spectator was killed and two critically injured in the assasination attempt
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said: ‘I send my best wishes to former President Trump after this shocking attempt on his life. It is a relief to see his statement, and I wish him a speedy recovery.
‘My thoughts and prayers are for the spectator killed and others hurt.
‘Violence has no place in society.’
Former prime minister Scott Morrison also weighed in on the incident.
‘Saddened, shocked and appalled at the attempted assassination of President Trump,’ he said.
‘Prayers for him and his family today, as well as all those who put their own lives at risk to protect those in public life.
‘Prayers also for America and its people, a great democracy and our great friend, at this difficult time.’
Ambassador of Australia to the United States and former prime minister Kevin Rudd shared a statement shortly after the attempted asassination.
‘All Australians are shocked by the attack on former president Donald Trump at his campaign rally this evening in Pennsylvania,’ Mr Rudd wrote.
‘Violence has no place in our democracies. It is a relief to see that President Trump is safe. Our thoughts are with him and his family.’
