New apparent Trump assassination attempt highlights Secret Service strains

Law enforcement personnel continue to investigate the area around Trump International Golf Club, after an apparent assassination attempt on Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump, after a gunman was found at the Trump's golf course, in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. September 16, 2024. REUTERS/Giorgio Viera

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two months after Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt, a gunman hid undetected for nearly 12 hours on the edge of the golf course where Trump played on Sunday under the protection of an agency that is being pushed to its limits.

As the 2024 presidential election enters its final stretch, the U.S. Secret Service is operating with about 400 fewer employees than Congress has authorized, government records show.