Trump’s Campaign Requests Military Aircraft and Armored Vehicles in Response to Threats From Iran

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump ‘s aides have requested a slew of stepped-up security measures, including military aircraft capable of shooting down surface-to-air missiles to transport the former president in the race’s final stretch, amid growing concerns over threats from Iran in a campaign already shaken by violence.

The campaign’s highly unusual request comes as the Republican candidate faces death threats from Iran, which has also targeted other former Trump administration officials and has also been blamed for a widespread hack of top campaign officials. Trump narrowly survived one assassination attempt and U.S. Secret Service agents foiled a second, though neither case has been publicly linked to Iranian actors.

Beyond a military plane, the campaign has asked for special armored vehicles typically reserved for sitting presidents, expanded temporary flight restrictions over his rallies and his residences, reimbursements for decoy aircraft, and more money for the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies that assist in Trump’s protection.

Both Trump and his staff have complained that he is being restricted from campaigning the way he wants to because the agency lacks the resources to keep him safe.

The Secret Service insisted Friday that Trump is already “receiving the highest levels of protection.” And President Joe Biden told reporters that he would be happy to approve Trump’s request to use military aircraft in the final stages of the campaign, as long as “he doesn’t ask for F-15s.”

“Look, what I’ve told the department is to give him every single thing he needs for his — as if he were a sitting president,” he said. “Give him all that he needs. If it fits within that category, that’s fine. But it doesn’t, he shouldn’t.”

The new security requests were first reported by the New York Times.