CHARLOTTE, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) – Security has been one big concern after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Queen City News wanted to lift the veil on the security measures that go into political rallies and appearances of all sorts.
Presidential and political visits are an all-day commitment for journalists. Crews have to get to the venues hours in advance for what’s called a security sweep. This happens any time the president, vice president, or their spouses come to town and is done for both Republicans and Democrats.
Political leaders are visiting North Carolina more frequently since we’re a major battleground state. Less than three weeks ago, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden stopped in Charlotte to speak. Vice President Kamala Harris was at Johnson C. Smith University about a month ago.
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When these political figures come to town, journalists get to the event space early, often having to go through metal detectors. Crews drop off their gear, and the Secret Service will clear everyone out of the area. That can sometimes take hours. Agents will do a walk-through of the facility to make sure everything is secure.
They’ll let the media back in when that’s done and they won’t be able to leave until the visit is over. People attending usually have to go through metal detectors as well.
These visits are planned down to the minute. There’s a lot that goes into making them possible, which brings in more questions about what happened on Saturday.
There’s also collaboration that goes on between the White House team and local agencies. Airport officials have to make arrangements to shut down airspace, and the White House has to approve anyone who will be near Air Force One.
Local law enforcement agencies have to close roads so the presidential motorcade can make it to and from the airport safely. Those roadblocks can last upwards of an hour in some spots.
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