Secret Service warns Trump campaign not to hold outdoor events following assassination attempt

Secret Service officials have urged Donald Trump’s campaign to stop scheduling large outdoor rallies outdoors, after the attempted assassination of the former president.

Following the shocking incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, the agency has communicated its concerns with Trump officials about holding such events with big crowds, sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.

Less than two weeks after the shooting, it is understood the Trump campaign is now scouting indoor venues for upcoming events, including sports arenas and other large spaces. No outdoor events are currently scheduled, a source told the newspaper.

It comes after Kimberly Cheatle, director of the Secret Service, resigned on Tuesday in the aftermath of the incident, admitting that it had been “the most significant operational failure” at the agency in “decades.”

“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in an email to staff obtained by The Associated Press. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”

Trump has held hundreds of outdoor rallies since launching his first presidential bid, which have been known to attract tens of thousands of zealous supporters. Some events even feature tailgate-style parties, complete with merchandise sellers.

Rallies have been held at airports, fairgrounds, football stadiums and other large outdoor venues. Sarah Matthews, a former Trump spokeswoman turned critic, said that crowd size had always been important to the former president.

Trump would often get upset if people were not moved past the magnetometers quickly enough and the outdoor venues were not filling up quickly enough.

“It gives him a lot of joy