No Credible Threats Ahead Of Conventions, Secret Service Says

The security situation is constantly “evolving” but there is “nothing credible” in terms of direct threats heading into the Republican and Democratic national conventions this summer, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said Sunday. Cheatle said the Secret Service is coordinating with the Milwaukee Police Department and Chicago Police Department, as well as the FBI and other intelligence agencies, to prepare for and mitigate potential threats — including both domestic and foreign terrorism, Politico reports. The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee is July 15-18, and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will take place Aug. 19-22. Cheatle told ABC’s “This Week” that her agency has been planning for both conventions for the past year and a half. “The environment that we’re dealing with today is certainly different than it was four years ago,” Cheatle said, commenting on whether political polarization factors into threats. “I’m sure we’ll see an evolution in the next four years as well. But it is definitely something that we take into consideration.”

In regard to protests, Cheatle said the Secret Service and local police departments respect individuals’ First Amendment rights. Convention officials for the RNC said the Secret Service agreed to make a nearby Milwaukee park off limits to protesters. A coalition of pro-Palestinian groups also plan to protest the DNC, whether or not the city of Chicago grants them a permit. In April, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said people would be allowed to protest as long as it remained safe for convention-goers. “Where we have concerns is if those potential demonstrations turn violent, and then appropriate action would be taken. But we certainly welcome people to come out and be able to express their First Amendment rights,” Cheatle said. While Cheatle does not anticipate different potential threats facing the RNC and DNC, she said each city and venue requires specialized assets and resources. She added she is “absolutely confident” in the Secret Service’s plans to secure the conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago.