‘Potential target’: Officials warn of trouble ahead of Trump inauguration

Less than one week ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, US national security officials warn of possible violence, according to a Tuesday Politico report. Per the report, despite the fact that intelligence and law enforcement agencies have said that, so far, “there are no specific credible threats” to worry about, they say the vicinity could be “‘an attractive potential target’ for violent extremists.”According to a threat assessment obtained by the news outlet, the national security officials wrote persons specifically with “election related grievances” could see the event as “their last opportunity to influence the election results through violence.”READ MORE: DC hotel bookings way down for Trump inauguration as even protesters decide to skipFurthermore, the officials are concerned that protests could turn violent. “Past protests by some of these individuals have involved traffic blockades, trespassing, property destruction, and resisting arrest,” the assessment reads.Politico reports one ex-counterterrorism official who worked to secure President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration — John Cohen — said, “said this year’s event faces more threats than” the current president’s.”As somebody who was involved in the planning of the last inauguration, the threat environment was dangerous,” Cohen told Politico. READ MORE: ‘Quite unlikely’: Analysis exposes key Trump campaign promises as unrealistic — if not ‘impossible'”As I sit here today, based on the work I’ve been doing with law enforcement for the past four years, the threat environment today is even more volatile and more dangerous than it was in 2021.”Politico’s full report is available at this link.

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