US President Donald Trump boarded Air Force One using a smaller staircase on Sunday amid heightened security at Palm Beach International Airport, after the Secret Service discovered what officials described as a suspected sniper’s nest overlooking the runway.
According to Fox News, a White House official said the security measures were increased following the discovery of a suspected hunting stand with a clear line of sight to the area where Air Force One typically lands and departs. The structure was found on Friday during routine security checks ahead of Trump’s arrival, prompting an immediate response from federal authorities.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the discovery, telling Fox News, “Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone.”
“No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.”
Patel added that no one has been arrested and that the structure has not yet been linked to any individual.
USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi said the agency is “working closely” with the FBI and local law enforcement in Palm Beach County.
The discovery comes just weeks after Ryan Routh was convicted of attempting to assassinate Trump on a Palm Beach golf course from a sniper’s nest he had constructed along a fence line. The latest incident has renewed concerns about the president’s security during his frequent visits to Florida.
A White House official told Fox News that Trump used the smaller stairs to board Air Force One “due to increased security measures” at the airport.
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