A threat assessment compiled by U.S. national security agencies warns that President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will be “an attractive potential target” for violent threats. However, U.S. national security agencies have not yet revealed any specific credible threats.
Politico reported that the threat assessment, which has not yet been publicly released, warns that individuals with “election related grievances” may view Trump’s inauguration as “their last opportunity to influence the election results through violence.”
John Cohen, who previously worked as a counterterrorism official and helped plan security for President Joe Biden’s inauguration, told Politico, “As somebody who was involved in the planning of the last inauguration, the threat environment was dangerous. As I sit here today, based on the work I’ve been doing with law enforcement for the past four years, the threat environment today is even more volatile and more dangerous than it was in 2021.”
According to Politico, law enforcement officials are on high alert for the upcoming event following two assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign, the recent New Orleans terrorist attack, and the recent attack in Las Vegas.
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Politico noted that the threat assessment, which was put together by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Secret Service, the Supreme Court’s police department, and the Washington D.C. government, outlined multiple violent incidents that could threaten Trump’s inauguration, including domestic extremists, foreign terrorists, and lone wolves engaging in bomb hoaxes, vehicle-ramming attacks, drone flights, and swatting calls.
The threat assessment also warned of potential violence inspired by Iran. According to Politico, law enforcement officials noted that 700,000 Telegram users threatened to assassinate the president-elect just one day after the 2024 election in response to a video shared by an organization linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In addition to these threats, law enforcement officials have also warned that protests could lead to violence at Trump’s inauguration. Pointing to groups that have already applied for demonstration permits, the threat assessment stated, “Past protests by some of these individuals have involved traffic blockades, trespassing, property destruction, and resisting arrest.”
During a Monday press conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith confirmed that the police department will be reinforced with roughly 4,000 police officers for Trump’s inauguration. Special Agent in Charge for the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office Matt McCool noted that there will be roughly 25,000 military personnel and law enforcement officials at Monday’s inauguration.
Addressing the increased security measures, Cohen told Politico, “You’re going to see a much more visible and expanded security presence, to include physical security barriers, street closures, uniformed law enforcement deployed, undercover assets being deployed, as well as National Guard members at key places.”
