Large security presence expected to secure Trump's military parade, festival
Washington, D.C., is preparing for a large security presence ahead of the Army's 250th anniversary parade.
Thousands of law enforcement officers from across the country will arrive in Washington to assist in security, and land, air and water assets are deployed in an effort to secure the event, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
"Since April 23, we've been working diligently, around the clock, to get this plan ready," Matt McCool, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington Field Office, told ABC News, noting that officials typically have six months to a year to prepare for large-scale special security events.
"This is a comprehensive plan," he said.
MORE: Democrats slam military parade as Trump's multimillion-dollar 'birthday party'
The Secret Service has had five National Special Security Events, or NSSEs, in the past six months.
"All threats are mitigated," he said. "There will be no line-of-sight issues when it comes to the president. Once you hit the Secret Service perimeter, it will be the most secure place on the planet."
The U.S. Coast Guard, which is manning the waterways, told ABC News it is supporting throughout the day with security.
"We do these events as part of our mission set. We partner with a lot of agencies anywhere where there is a security or safety function," Coast Guard Cmdr. Ryan Gomez said.
The Secret Service and local officials have said they are expecting about nine small protests in Washington, though "No Kings Day" protests will occur nationwide, with the largest expected to be in Philadelphia.
Still, McCool said "everything has been mitigated" in preparing for the event.
"If you attempt to enter an area you aren't supposed to be in or attempt to commit violence, you will go to jail and you will be prosecuted," he said when asked if he had a message to those who want to disrupt the event.
MORE: What to know about 'No Kings Day' protests across US to counter Trump's military parade
He said that as a matter of policy, officials can't discuss the costs of securing an event like this, though he noted that doing so "is not cheap."
Both McCool and U.S. Park Police Chief Jessica Taylor told ABC News touted the partnerships around the Washington metropolitan area that will help secure the parade and festival on the National Mall.
"Something I say often is, in Washington, D.C., nothing gets done without partnership," Taylor said. "In D.C. specifically, with law enforcement, we rely heavily on one another. Nothing gets done without partnerships."
Large security presence expected to secure Trump's military parade, festival originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
22 minutes ago
Macron to visit Greenland to show European support for the strategic Arctic island coveted by Trump
NUUK, Greenland -- French President Emmanuel Macron's first trip to Greenland, the strategic Arctic island coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, is aimed at shoring up Europe's political backing for Denmark and its semiautonomous territory. Macron's visit on Sunday comes just ahead a meeting of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations next week in Canada that will be attended by both Macron and Trump. The French president's office said the trip to Greenland is a reminder that Paris supports principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the U.N. charter. Macron is also to meet with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Macron mentioned Greenland last week in his opening speech at the U.N. Ocean Conference, saying it isn't 'up for grabs' in remarks that appeared directed largely at Trump. 'The deep seas are not for sale, nor is Greenland up for grabs, nor are the Arctic or the high seas for sale, nor are fishing licenses in developing countries up for grabs, nor are scientific data and the security of coastal populations to be sacrificed,″ Macron said at the summit in Nice, France. Macron in recent months has sought to reinvigorate France's role as the diplomatic and economic heavyweight of the 27-nation European Union. The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump's threats to pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent. Sunday's visit will also be the occasion to discuss how to further enhance relations between the EU and Greenland when it comes to economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals. The leaders will also have exchanges on efforts to curb global warming, according to Macron's office. A meeting between Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen will take place on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France's concerns over security issues in the region, Macron's office said. Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations. Hegseth's comments were the latest controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration about the Arctic island. The president himself has said he won't rule out military force to take over Greenland, which he considers vital to American security in the high north. The Wall Street Journal last month reported that several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland's independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there. Nielsen in April said that U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland 'will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.'
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump curbs immigration enforcement at farms, meatpacking plants, hotels and restaurants
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, after President Donald Trump expressed alarm about the impact of aggressive enforcement, an official said Saturday. The move follows weeks of increased enforcement since Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump's immigration policies, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump's second term. Tatum King, an official with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, wrote regional leaders on Thursday to halt investigations of the agricultural industry, including meatpackers, restaurants and hotels, according to The New York Times. A U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to The Associated Press the contents of the directive. The Homeland Security Department did not dispute it. 'We will follow the President's direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America's streets,' Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokesperson, said when asked to confirm the directive. The shift suggests Trump's promise of mass deportations has limits if it threatens industries that rely on workers in the country illegally. Trump posted on his Truth Social site Thursday that he disapproved of how farmers and hotels were being affected. 'Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,' he wrote. 'In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!' While ICE's presence in Los Angeles has captured public attention and prompted Trump to deploy the California National Guard and Marines, immigration authorities have also been a growing presence at farms and factories across the country. Farm bureaus in California say raids at packinghouses and fields are threatening businesses that supply much of the country's food. Dozens of farmworkers were arrested after uniformed agents fanned out on farms northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County, which is known for growing strawberries, lemons and avocados. Others are skipping work as fear spreads. ICE made more than 70 arrests Tuesday at a food packaging company in Omaha, Nebraska. The owner of Glenn Valley Foods said the company was enrolled in a voluntary program to verify workers' immigration status and that it was operating at 30% capacity as it scrambled to find replacements. Tom Homan, the White House border czar, has repeatedly said ICE will send officers into communities and workplaces, particularly in 'sanctuary' jurisdictions that limit the agency's access to local jails. Sanctuary cities 'will get exactly what they don't want, more officers in the communities and more officers at the work sites,' Homan said Monday on Fox News Channel. 'We can't arrest them in the jail, we'll arrest them in the community. If we can't arrest them in community, we're going to increase work site enforcement operation. We're going to flood the zone.' ___
an hour ago
Manhunt continues for Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Boelter
Around 24 hours after police say a gunman killed a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, plus wounded another lawmaker and his wife, suspect Vance Boelter remains on the run, authorities have said. The shootings began around 2 a.m. Saturday, when Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times at their home in Champlin, Minnesota, authorities said. Soon after, State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park. Police encountered the gunman leaving Hortman's house at around 3:35 a.m., the officers heading there to check on the lawmaker after responding to the earlier shooting at Hoffman's home. The suspect exchanged gunfire with police and was able to escape and flee on foot, authorities said. The FBI is "using every available resource to locate Vance Boelter," FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. said in a statement. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's arrest. The 57-year-old suspect is alleged to have gained access to the victim's homes while posing as a police officer. Police believe that when the shooter opened fire, he was wearing a latex mask that looked realistic, sources said. Boelter -- a husband and father, according to an online biography -- has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history. Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website. Dozens of Minnesota Democrats were on a target list written by the gunman, according to law enforcement sources. Those on the list included Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter. Police said the list -- which was retrieved from the suspect's vehicle, which looked like a police vehicle and had police lights -- also named Hortman and Hoffman. Both victims are Democrats and Hortman was formerly the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. The shooter's list of potential targets also included the names of abortion providers and pro-choice activists, several sources told ABC News. Many of the Democratic lawmakers on the list have been outspoken about pro-choice policy positions, two sources said.
