NEW YORK — 's aides 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 , which has also targeted other former Trump administration officials and was blamed for a .
Trump survived one and U.S. Secret Service agents , though neither of those was publicly linked to Iranian actors.
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Beyond a military plane, the campaign 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.
Trump and his staff 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."
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.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks Sunday during a campaign rally at Dodge County Airport in Juneau, Wis.
Campaign and Secret Service went back and forth
The Trump campaign's requests were outlined in a letter to acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe Jr. from senior Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles and obtained by The Associated Press.
She asked the Secret Service to pre-position the ballistic glass that Trump now uses for protection at his outdoor rallies in the seven battleground states where he is expected to spend the majority of time in the race's final stretch.
Currently, it takes more than a week's notice to position the barriers in the right place, according to a person familiar with the requests who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters. Trump aides see that advance notice as unrealistic given the frenetic nature of the final days of a campaign, when schedules are adjusted based on incoming polls and campaign strategy, the person said.
In a statement, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that since the attempted assassination on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the agency "has made comprehensive enhancements to its communications capabilities, resourcing and protective operations" and that Trump "is receiving the highest levels of protection."
He said the Department of Defense regularly provides assistance for Trump's protection, including canine units, and that the Secret Service has been restricting air traffic over the former president's residence and when he travels.
"Additionally, the former President is receiving the highest level of technical security assets, which include unmanned aerial vehicles, counter unmanned aerial surveillance systems, ballistics and other advanced technology systems," he said.
Former American presidents are able to use military airlift only if requested by the current president. In April, for instance, former President Bill Clinton used one as he led a U.S. delegation to Rwanda. On Sept. 11, 2021, Biden, Clinton, and former President Barack Obama flew to a remembrance in New York.
Donald Trump has been briefed by U.S. intelligence on assassination threats from Iran, according to his campaign. The Republican candidate was informed of “real and specific†threats aimed at destabilizing the United States. While the campaign didn't clarify whether the threats are new or ongoing, Iran has previously denied interfering in U.S. affairs. Trump took to social media, warning of “big threats†against his life, stating that Iran had already made attempts but failed.
Trump accused Biden of denying him resources
The Trump campaign for weeks now has accused the U.S. Secret Service of forcing it to cancel or scale back events due to a lack of resources.
That includes a held the same week as the U.N. General Assembly in New York, that was scaled back because the Secret Service couldn't secure a larger rally.
Trump accused Biden of intentionally denying security resources to help Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent, by preventing him from addressing large crowds.
"They couldn't give me any help. And I'm so angry about it because what they're doing is interfering in the election," he said in a recent Fox News interview.
Trump, however, praised his own security detail, commending them for their bravery.
While the Secret Service says Trump already has presidential-level protection, there are differences. Both Biden and Harris, for instance, have military assets, including planes.
Beyond her Sept. 30 letter, Wiles also spoke with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and others about her concerns about Trump's security and how his ability to campaign was curtailed by threats.
Zients, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of their conversation, connected Wiles to Homeland Security Department and Secret Service leadership after she reached out and made clear that Biden directed the Secret Service to provide the highest level of protection for Trump.
In a separate letter, Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, who is close to Trump, urged the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, White House and Department of Defense to deploy additional military assets to protect Trump in the face of Iranian threats. He requested that Trump be provided with a military passenger aircraft like those used by Cabinet secretaries.
Trump aides call for action against Iran
Trump has been targeted by Iran, which is believed to want retaliation for his administration's .
In August, a Pakistani man alleged to have links to Iran was to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil. Law enforcement did not name the targets of the alleged plot, but legal filings suggest Trump was a potential target.
Iranian hackers were charged with and trying to pass it along to news organizations.
In May, prosecutors say, the men charged began trying to penetrate the Trump campaign, successfully breaking into the email accounts of campaign officials and other Trump allies. They then sought to "weaponize" the stolen campaign material by sending unsolicited emails to people associated with Biden's campaign. None of the recipients who worked for Biden responded.
Trump's campaign complained that the Biden White House downplayed the death threats.
"This administration spends more time focused on a hack of emails than they do the Iranians who are trying to kill Donald Trump," Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita told reporters in Pennsylvania last weekend. He noted that former President Clinton deployed cruise missiles in retaliation for an Iraqi plot to assassinate former President George H.W. Bush.
"You know he did? He sent a bunch of cruise missiles to send a message," LaCivita complained. "All they do is put out a press release."
In a statement, National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the Biden administration has been "closely tracking Iranian threats against former President Trump and former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration."
"We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority, and we strongly condemn Iran for these brazen threats," Savett added, warning that: "Should Iran attack any of our citizens, including those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences."
More election coverage:
5 biggest US presidential election upsets since 1872
5 biggest US presidential election upsets since 1872
Every U.S. presidential election cycle seems to rekindle a debate about the electoral process itself and whether it needs improving. The confusion and frustration is understandable. America isn't a direct democracy when it comes to picking presidents. Rather, the nation uses the Electoral College process.
Here's how it works: Instead of voting directly for president, American citizens , who then vote for the president. Each state gets assigned a number of electors based on the number of Senators and members of Congress it has, creating an Electoral College of 538 electors, 270 of which are needed to secure the presidency.
Since the nation's founding, the electoral process has been the source of continued debate, putting election upsets in sharp relief.
An "upset" election is when the underdog, or the candidate behind in the polls, ends up defeating the favorite, the candidate projected to win. Election upsets, such as former President Donald Trump's surprise 2016 victory against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, can cause an earthquake across the political landscape. His outsider win, defying the predictions of most pundits and pollsters, highlighted the limitations of polling methods at the time and showcased deep divisions in the electorate. While Trump earned 57% electoral votes, securing the election victory, Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.
The Electoral College system was developed, in part, to help maintain a balance of power between states and regions. Over time, however, changes in the nation's two-party system have highlighted criticisms of potential shortcomings in the process, including that the system may give voters in swing states more power than voters in other states. These concerns have led to some calls to abolish the Electoral College, while proponents of the system argue that would swing electoral margins in favor of candidates with followings in large urban areas.
In a complicated electoral system, voters often turn to polls for clarity. But despite changes in polling practices since the 2016 election, many voters remain skeptical of their ability to reflect public opinion or accurately predict election outcomes. Polls, however, are imperfect snapshots of a moment in time, not crystal balls, and the methods of keeping them accurate and low-cost are always evolving. Polls ask samples of the population a series of questions and then use to extrapolate and estimate the overall sentiment.
Many factors contribute to a poll's accuracy, and assessing the credibility of polls can be challenging for the average American. Techniques such as polling a representative sample of the electorate through random sampling and including a poll's margin of error help bolster credibility. Meanwhile, the phrasing of polling questions and the influence of funders or groups behind the poll on its methodology can lead to skewed results.
As the country changes, cost-effective polling methods must also keep pace. for many years, but with fewer people answering their phones, , including web surveys and panels. These methods are cheaper and scalable, but they can exclude those without reliable phone or internet access and lack the focus of a live interview.
With current favorability polls showing a small margin between the presidential candidates, Americans will likely be watching the polls closely. In the coming weeks, with the possibility of another underdog victory on the horizon, voters may also benefit from looking to the past to better understand how previous elections have dramatically reshaped the nation's politics.
compiled a list of the top five biggest U.S. presidential election upsets since 1872 using data from . Presidential upsets were ranked according to the preelection odds of the runner-up, taken as close to Election Day as possible.
#5. Grover Cleveland defeats Benjamin Harrison (1892)
- Preelection odds: -125
- Electoral College results: 277-145
- Popular vote results: 46%-43%
In 1892, Grover Cleveland, the former president who served from March 1885 to March 1889, staged a remarkable comeback to defeat incumbent Benjamin Harrison. The campaign was marked by fiery debates over tariffs and economic policies, particularly the concept of sound currency. Cleveland hammered Harrison's protectionist stance, which many blamed for rising costs of living.
The key battleground states, including New York and Indiana, swung decisively in Cleveland's favor, driven by widespread discontent with the Republican administration's handling of the economy. Despite losing the Electoral College in 1888 (while winning the popular vote), Cleveland's win this time around was a clear rejection of Harrison's presidency. As Cleveland became the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms, the victory signaled a shift toward economic reform and foreshadowed the challenges that would define his second term, including labor unrest and financial instability.
#4. John F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon (1960)
- Preelection odds: -130
- Electoral College results: 303-219
- Popular vote results: 49.7%-49.6%
John F. Kennedy's narrow victory over Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election stunned the nation and marked a turning point in American politics. The campaign was fiercely fought, with the first-ever televised debates playing a pivotal role—Kennedy's confident, charismatic performance contrasted sharply with Nixon's tired appearance, swaying many undecided voters.
Key battleground states like Illinois and Texas tipped the scales in Kennedy's favor, with his appeal to younger voters and communities of color proving decisive. As Kennedy took office, his "new frontier" message resonated with a public eager for change, setting the stage for a presidency focused on optimism and progress.
Kennedy grappled with Cold War tensions, including the Cuban Missile Crisis. Under his administration, anti-poverty initiatives were passed, but many other efforts were blocked by conservative Republicans and Southern Democrats. Kennedy's presidency was cut short by his assassination in 1963, but his legacy highlighted the power of the media in shaping public perception.
#3. Grover Cleveland defeats James Blaine (1884)
- Preelection odds: -150
- Electoral College results: 219-182
- Popular vote results: 48.9%-48.3%
Grover Cleveland's unexpected victory over James Blaine in the 1884 presidential election came after a fierce mudslinging campaign. Blaine struggled to shake off corruption allegations, while Cleveland's campaign was bogged down by the revelation that he had fathered a child out of wedlock.
Despite the scandals, Cleveland's image as a reform-minded leader resonated with voters fed up with political corruption. He carried the South and won several key states like New York and Missouri. Blaine secured the West and many northern states, but , losing the 36 electoral votes that would have secured the presidency. Cleveland's victory marked a significant shift as Democrats reclaimed the presidency for the first time since the Civil War, reflecting a public craving for reform and transparency.
Once in office, Cleveland set about reducing political patronage by filling government positions based on merit rather than connections and pushed for reforms in interstate commerce and the Navy. His administration's focus on integrity signaled a broader movement toward cleaner politics and greater accountability.
#1. Harry Truman defeats Thomas Dewey (1948)
- Preelection odds: -1,800
- Electoral College results: 303-189
- Popular vote results: 49.6%-45.1%
Severely down in the polls and facing a nation in the grips of postwar inflation and beset by labor strikes, Democratic nominee Harry S. Truman embarked on a relentless whistle-stop tour, crisscrossing the country by rail and connecting directly with voters, particularly in key states like Ohio and Illinois. His fierce speeches, hitting Republicans hard over their support for the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Act, revved up crowds and stood in stark contrast to Thomas Dewey's intentionally tempered and inoffensive oratory.
The campaign paid off, and Truman's surprise victory wasn't just a rejection of Republican overconfidence. It was also an endorsement of the New Deal policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, whom Truman served with as vice president, signaling the public's desire for continuity and reform. As he stepped into office, Truman's victory highlighted a growing divide between political elites and the average voter, a rift that would shape the next phase of American politics.
Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.Â
originally appeared on and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
#2. Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton (2016)
- Preelection odds: -550
- Electoral College results: 304-227
- Popular vote results: 46.1%-48.2%
Donald Trump's shocking 2016 presidential election victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton upended the country's political orthodoxy. The campaign itself was fraught with controversy and surprises, from taped revelations of Trump's sexual misconduct to allegations of Russian interference, the FBI's late-stage announcement that it was investigating Clinton's handling of government emails, and Trump's expectation-beating debate performance.
Trump won crucial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, narrowly flipping traditional Democratic strongholds by appealing to disaffected voters in rural and industrial areas who felt left behind by the downsides of economic globalization. As Trump assumed office, his election signaled a hard-right populist turn that would challenge conventional politics, intensify partisan divides, and foreshadow future turbulence.
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