A new report reveals that in December, a juvenile managed to illegally enter former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and linger there for about an hour, even taking a dip in the pool. Despite this significant security breach, no Secret Service personnel were terminated or disciplined.
RealClearPolitics National Political Correspondent Susan Crabtree reported on Monday that sources had varying accounts of the incident. One source claimed the intruder performed a “cannonball” into the pool, while another only confirmed that the juvenile jumped in.
Crabtree explained that although Mar-a-Lago is fully alarmed and secured, its dual function as an active club poses unique challenges for Secret Service security protocols. The Secret Service stated that the pool is located on the estate’s exterior grounds, where authorized guests are permitted. However, sources informed Crabtree that the pool is relatively close to the main residence on the property.
She referenced an earlier report by radio host Dan Bongino, who cited a “direct source” claiming that the Secret Service had denied a request from Trump for “enhanced” protection at Mar-a-Lago because the agency does not provide security for what it termed “a nightclub.” Bongino, a former Secret Service special agent, disputed this, emphasizing that the agency is responsible for the president’s safety, regardless of any complications.
Crabtree also highlighted a perceived double standard, noting that after a drunken intruder entered the home of Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan late at night last year, the Secret Service removed two supervisors from the Presidential Protective Division.
A Secret Service spokesperson told Crabtree, “The juvenile was apprehended and taken into custody by Palm Beach Police Department officers. The U.S. Secret Service takes these matters extremely seriously. At the time, an investigation was immediately launched, and certain U.S. Secret Service personnel were held accountable in accordance with agency protocols. We remain thankful to the Town of Palm Beach Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for their response and strong partnership.”