Radio Station WHMI 93.5 FM – News, weather, traffic, sports, school news and the best classic hits from Livingston County, Michigan

(NEW YORK) – During the state of Florida’s investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump, Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe told the former president that additional planning and security precautions were needed to allow him to continue his golf outings.

Trump met with Rowe on Monday afternoon to discuss future protocol, sources familiar with the meeting told ABC News.

The acting director advised Trump to announce golf outings and any other trips where he would have contact with the public as early as possible.

According to sources, the USSS may request assistance from local police with a longer lead time, for example to search or reconnoiter the area before the Secret Service arrives and to station personnel at various locations.

It is unclear what changes Trump might make to his golf schedule in light of Rowe’s recommendation for increased security and planning.

On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he had signed an executive order to launch a state investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on Trump on Sunday at his golf club in West Palm Beach. He said: “We need trust and transparency.”

During a press conference, DeSantis said he had transferred the state investigation to the Office of Statewide Prosecutor, under the supervision of Attorney General Ashley Moody. The governor said the state has jurisdiction over the “most serious clear offense, which is attempted murder,” which could carry a life sentence if suspect Ryan Wesley Routh is convicted.

DeSantis questioned the federal government’s ability to properly investigate and prosecute Trump’s second assassination attempt in two months.

DeSantis said Americans are still waiting to learn the motive behind the first attempt on the former president’s life at a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In the attack, a Secret Service sniper killed the suspect after firing eight shots at Trump with an AR-15 rifle from the roof of a nearby building, investigators said. Trump suffered a gunshot wound to the ear in the Butler incident, one rally attendee was killed and two were injured.

“In my opinion, it is not in the best interest of our state or our nation for the same federal agencies that seek to prosecute Donald Trump to be leading this investigation, especially when the most serious offense is a violation of state law but not federal law,” DeSantis said.

The Justice Department declined to respond to ABC News’ request for comment on DeSantis’ comments.

Routh, a convicted felon, was arrested shortly after what FBI officials called an “apparent assassination attempt” on Trump at the Republican presidential candidate’s Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Routh, 58, has been charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Routh was believed to have been lying in wait at the edge of the golf course for nearly 12 hours when a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle sticking out of the tree line several hundred yards ahead of Trump and opened fire on the gunman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida said Monday. Routh allegedly ran to a car and drove away, leaving behind a loaded 7.62×39 SKS rifle with a scope and two bags, including a backpack, federal officials said.

A citizen helped capture Routh in neighboring Martin County by taking a photo of the suspect’s getaway car and giving it to police, officials said.

The FBI is conducting an investigation into the incident and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting Routh.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke on camera for the first time on Tuesday about the alleged assassination attempt.

“I just want to point out that the FBI continues to investigate the alleged assassination attempt on the former President that occurred in Florida on Sunday,” Garland said. “We are thankful that he is safe. The entire Department of Justice, particularly the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Southern District of Florida, and the Division of National Security are working closely with our local and state law enforcement partners on the ground. We will all work together tirelessly to identify those responsible in this matter. We will spare no resources in this investigation.”

On Monday, Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said at a press conference that “the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice would not be able to carry out our mission without the invaluable support of our federal, state and local partners.”

Acting Secret Service Director Ron Rowe Jr. said Monday that Trump was never in the suspected shooter’s line of sight and that the suspect did not fire a single shot.

In a phone call with Jonathan Karl, ABC News’ chief Washington correspondent, Trump praised the Secret Service for its protection on Tuesday.

“I’m fine. The Secret Service actually did a good job,” Trump said.

When asked by Karl if he thought the Secret Service had a good handle on him during the heightened threat environment in the final days of the presidential campaign, Trump said, “Yes, I think so. I think the Secret Service does a good job, and in the last few days they’ve done a very good job. I thought they were excellent at this event.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose agency oversees the Secret Service, also praised Trump’s bodyguards during an event hosted by Politico on Tuesday.

“They should be commended,” Mayorkas said.

Mayorkas said Secret Service agents quickly eliminated the threat and the agency had increased protection for the former president.

“We, the United States Secret Service, have actually increased security measures for the former president so that he has a level of security that is appropriate given the fact that he is a former president and that he is on the campaign trail,” Mayorkas said.

Moody said the state investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol.

“The people of Florida deserve answers and we will not stop until we know the truth and how best to prevent similar attacks in Florida,” Moody said.

Moody said state authorities would “investigate what happened when something went terribly wrong when someone was allowed to stay in a tree line on the edge of a golf course for 12 hours and was within 500 [yards]” by Trump.

Mark Glass, director of law enforcement for the state of Florida, said his agency would “seek the truth.”

“Florida is a law-and-order state and we will not stand idly by while someone blocks the sharing of information between our law enforcement agencies,” Glass said, without elaborating. “We know that if we want answers, we must seek them.”

Routh is being held at the Federal Detention Center Miami, according to the Bureau of Prisons’ inmate roster. He is expected to remain there until his detention hearing next Monday and likely until his trial.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.