Secret Service to conduct 'routine threat exercise' at White House

On August 15, 2025, the U.S. Secret Service will conduct a "routine threat exercise" at the White House from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., while Trump attends a summit with Putin in Alaska. Simulated gunfire may alarm residents; sidewalks near the White House will be closed, but roads remain open.

The Secret Service, tasked with protecting the president and investigating threats, faces scrutiny after two assassination attempts on Trump last year. In Pennsylvania, a shooter narrowly missed Trump’s head, killing one attendee. Last month, six agents were fired following an investigation.

A report, per CBS News, stated, “The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved.” A second attempt occurred during Trump’s golf outing, where a suspect hid nearby but did not shoot. The exercise’s timing raises concerns about security priorities.