President Trump on Thursday quipped about the prospect of donning a bulletproof vest after a third assassination attempt, joking that he wasn't sure he could handle the extra weight. “I don't know if I can handle looking 20 pounds heavier,” he said, drawing laughter from reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump's remarks came days after a Secret Service agent wearing a bulletproof vest was shot at during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday. The agent was not seriously injured. “Frankly, the vest did an amazing job because it took a bullet closeup,” Trump said. “He didn't even want to go to the hospital. We sent him just in case.”
The president praised the vest's performance but acknowledged the force of the impact. “The vest totally protected him. Still, a lot of power behind that shotgun. That's like getting hit by Mike Tyson,” he said, referencing the former heavyweight boxing champion.
Trump said he has been asked before about wearing a vest and called it “something you consider.” But he also expressed reluctance. “In one way you don't like to do it because you're giving into a bad element,” he said.
The Saturday shooting marks the third assassination attempt against Trump, a fact that has intensified scrutiny of his security detail. A White House official said earlier this week that Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is convening a meeting with Secret Service and Homeland Security officials to review Trump's security protocols going forward.
The incident has also reignited discussions about the risks faced by public figures and the measures taken to protect them. Trump's comments, while lighthearted, underscore the ongoing threats he faces. The president has a history of using humor to deflect serious topics, and Thursday's exchange was no exception.
In related developments, the Trump administration has been active on other fronts. Trump recently signed an executive order expanding retirement access for uncovered workers, and he dropped scotch whiskey tariffs after King Charles' visit, citing a deal on Kentucky bourbon. Meanwhile, the president named Fox News contributor Nicole Saphier as his surgeon general pick, a move that has drawn both praise and criticism.
The security meeting convened by Wiles is expected to address potential upgrades to Trump's protective detail, including whether the president himself will adopt additional protective gear like a bulletproof vest. For now, Trump's joke suggests he is weighing the options with his characteristic blend of bravado and humor.
