DOJ pressed to investigate election problems exposed by Iranian hackers in 2020 1/4

"The FBI repeatedly ignored serious threats to our election system in 2020, leaving it significantly vulnerable to manipulation by bad actors, both foreign and domestic," Cleta Mitchell said

By Natalia Mittelstadt July 28, 2025Next Big Exposure, 2020 was stolen

During the 2020 election,Iranian nationals demonstrated vulnerabilities in states’ voter registration systems by hacking Alaska’s. Those vulnerabilities, particularly regarding overseas voters and their ballots, must be investigated by the Department of Justice and fixed across the U.S., election integrity groups warn.

While Alaska admitted to its voter registration system being breached in 2020, the federal government said it was aware of “at least one state” that had been hacked by Iranians.

The DOJ later said that “approximately eleven state voter websites” were attacked at the time.In the Election Research Institute’s (ERI) new report titled,"Failure of the Weaponized Department of Justice to Protect the US Election System,"it shows how there was a significant increase in the number of overseas ballot applications and ballots submitted in 2020 as Iranian hackers revealed how they could use the data from Alaska’s breached voter registration system to complete such applications and ballots.

File Iranian_Interference_-_UOCAVA_Voting.pdf

Feds: “Foreign actors and cyber criminals”

On Sept. 28, 2020, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced that therewas a “potential threat posed by attempts to spread disinformation regarding cyberattacks on U.S. voter registration databases or voting systems.”

The agencies said that there were “foreign actors and cyber criminals” during the 2020 election cycle “spreading false and inconsistent information through various online platforms in an attempt to manipulate public opinion, discredit the electoral process, and undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions."

“These malicious actors could use these forums to also spread disinformation suggesting successful cyber operations have compromised election infrastructure and facilitated the ‘hacking’ and ‘leaking’ of U.S. voter registration data,” according to the FBI and CISA.

Because much of U.S. voter information can be obtained through publicly available sources, cyber actors have acquired this data in recent years, but it does “not impact the voting process or the integrity of election results,” the agencies said.

“In addition, the FBI and CISA have no information suggesting any cyberattack on U.S. election infrastructure has prevented an election from occurring, compromised the accuracy of voter registration information, prevented a registered voter from casting a ballot, or compromised the integrity of any ballots cast.”

However, a month later, the agencies announced that they were aware of an Iranian hacker attacking election websites.

“CISA and the FBI observed this actor attempting to exploit websites to obtain copies of voter registration data between September 29 and October 17, 2020,” the announcement said.

The agencies added that they could “confirm that the actor successfully obtained voter registration data in at least one state.”

Also, “CISA and the FBI assess this actor is responsible for the mass dissemination of voter intimidation emails to U.S. citizens and the dissemination of U.S. election-related disinformation in mid-October 2020.”

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/doj-must-investigate-election-problems-exposed-iranian-hackers-2020

>>23394205

2/4

After the 2020 election, on Dec. 3, 2020, then-Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer’s (R) office explained that his state “was the victim of data exposure by outside actors that targeted the Division of Elections Online Voter Registration System, which was built and maintained by an outside vendor and operated by the Division.

“Although some voters’ personal information was exposed, the Division has determined that no other elections systems or data were affected. The Division’s ballot tabulation systems, 2020 general election results, and voter database remain secure.”

No effect on elections, as of yet

Meyer’s office added that he first became aware of the issue on Oct. 27, which was three days before the FBI and CISA announced that a state’s voter registration data had been obtained by an Iranian hacker.

“Since the discovery, Division staff, working with the State Security Office, our vendors, and law enforcement, and a computer forensics firm have worked to determine the scope of the problem, secure databases and web applications, comply with state law regarding exposure of personal information records, and assist law enforcement with any investigation as needed. Working with the vendor, the division has determined that 113,000 potential voters’ personal information—such as birth dates and license numbers—was exposed,” the lieutenant governor’s office said.

Then, nearly a year later, on Nov. 18, 2021, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced charges against two Iranian hackers.

The charges were part of an unsealed indictment, which stated that Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazemi, 24, and Sajjad Kashian, 27, were charged with obtaining confidential U.S. voter information from at least one state election website, sending threatening email messages to intimidate and interfere with voters, and disseminating a video containing disinformation about purported election infrastructure vulnerabilities.

While the state wasn’t mentioned in the indictment, Alaska was the state that had admitted to being hacked during the 2020 election season.

“In September and October 2020, members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately eleven state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

The hackers also posed as members of a "group of Proud Boys volunteers" and then sent Facebook messages and emails to Republican senators, Republican members of Congress, individuals associated with the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, White House advisors, and members of the media. The bogus messages claimed that the Democratic Party was planning to exploit "serious security vulnerabilities" in state voter registration websites to "edit mail-in ballots or even register non-existent voters."

The ERI report notes that absentee and mail ballot requests are primarily verified by matching driver’s license numbers or Social Security numbers from ballot applications with government records.

Given that the hackers stole voters’ personal information, “If the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] had submitted fraudulent applications or ballots to election officials in Alaska using the data from the breach, the Social Security or Driver’s License numbers would have been verified as correct in the matching process,” according to the report.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/doj-must-investigate-election-problems-exposed-iranian-hackers-2020

>>23394214

3/4

How the breach and data fraud worked

The video that the hackers sharedshowed “how they could use the breach data to complete Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots (FWAB) or Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA),”the report reads.

“The video included confirmed valid voter information that was copied and pasted into the fields used to create PDFs for at least three FWABs which can be used as emergency back-up ballots by individuals who are eligible to vote under the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA),” per the ERI report.

FPCAs are how UOCAVA voters request to vote overseas.

UOCAVA voters include military and non-military U.S. citizens who live overseas. Last year, just 26.3% of UOCAVA ballots were sent to military members, while nearly 70.7% were sent to non-military voters, including students studying abroad, U.S. citizens who have moved to permanently live overseas, and those who have never resided in the U.S., according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey Report.

In the 2020 election, 39.4% of UOCAVA voters were military, compared to 60.1% non-military, per the EAC’s report.

The Iranian hackers’ video also showed “computer files for 40 states and a demonstration that at least some of those state folders contained multiple PDF documents of UOCAVA FWAB ballots or FPCA ballot applications. While there is no evidence that the FWABs created in the video were submitted to states, there is ample evidence that the vulnerabilities exist,” according to the ERI report.

According to CISA’s “Rumor Control” webpage, which no longer exists, “Changing an election using fraudulently submitted FWABs would be highly difficult to do. This is because election offices have security measures in place to detect such activity.”

The agency added that because few FWABs are submitted, “spikes in FWAB usage would be detected as anomalous.”“However, states reported receiving 41% more FWABs in 2020 than in 2016,” according to the ERI report, citing EAC data. “Nationally, 33,027 FWABs were submitted to election offices for the 2020 General Election. That was an increase of nearly 10,000 more FWABs submitted in 2020 when there were travel restrictions and far fewer US citizens abroad.”

Alaska saw the number of UOCAVA ballots increase by 60% from 2016 to 2020, with 16,466 ballots delivered online for the latter election, per the ERI report. UOCAVA ballots are submitted by email, mail, or through online systems.

Also, across theU.S., “Election offices reported receiving 764,691 FPCAs ahead of the 2020 general election, which was almost double the 420,861 FPCAs that states reported receiving ahead of the 2016 general election,” per the EAC’s 2020 Election Administration and Voting Survey Report.

Demands for FBI investigation as precautionary measure by publishing time.

“The 2020 election occurred during aglobal pandemic which significantly reduced the number of US citizens traveling, studying or working abroad but the significant increase in UOCAVA ballots was not investigated by the DOJ,”according to the ERI report.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/doj-must-investigate-election-problems-exposed-iranian-hackers-2020

>>23394219

4/4

“The existing vulnerabilities in the UOCAVA voting system must be addressed to prevent the IRGC and other foreign adversaries from interfering in future elections. There is an urgent need for the FBI to fully investigate the potential exploitation of vulnerabilities in UOCAVA voting. Further, the DOJ should ensure compliance with the federal requirements for verification of voter registration information for individuals who apply to register to vote in federal elections,” the ERI report concludes.

Election Integrity Network Founder Cleta Mitchell told Just the News on Sunday that the ERI report “is a very serious indictment of FBI and national intelligence community failures to protect the integrity of the 2020 election.

“It is yet another intrusion into that election by one of America’s foreign adversaries, this time the Iranian Republican Guard Corp.Not only did the FBI originally deny that a cyber-attack had occurred but they dismissed the incident as propaganda and they failed to investigate the very real vulnerabilities exposed,” Mitchell said. “The indictment of the international bad actors responsible for this very serious breach into a state’s voter registration has done nothing to deter the Iranians.”

Mitchell added that she hopes "Sen. Grassley (R-IA) and the new leadership of the FBI will immediately add this episode to the growing list of 2020 election matters that demand investigation and accountability."

“The FBI repeatedly ignored serious threats to our election system in 2020, leaving it significantly vulnerable to manipulation by bad actors, both foreign and domestic. We need to know why that happened and how to keep it from happening ever again.”

Mitchell also said that the UOCAVA “system is utterly broken, it fails to serve our active duty military members, and it is clearly vulnerable to exploitation by our adversaries. Congress and the Administration must fix the problems within UOCAVA to make certain that those who wish to commit fraud in our elections are not able to use the UOCAVA system for that purpose. This report raises serious alarms that must be addressed before the 2026 election.”

The FBI didn’t respond to a request for comment by publishing time.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/doj-must-investigate-election-problems-exposed-iranian-hackers-2020

(I have serious doubts 2 Iranians where the only ones that interfered in the 2020 election. That was a WW effort from multiple nations taking Trump down.But I don’t doubt the FBI refused to investigate it, and lied.)

llegal immigrants storm US beaches as Coast Guard battles migrant surge that rose under Biden

Expert highlights different threats from professional smugglers versus overcrowded 'leaky boats' reaching US shores By Adam Sabes Fox News Published July 28, 2025 4:00am EDT

The rise in illegal immigration that took place by boats under the Biden administration has created unique dangers for law enforcement, according to a border security expert.

Maritime illegal immigration, using boats to enter the U.S. illegally, rose during the Biden administration as a result of the political and economic crises of Haiti and Cuba, according to the Migration Policy Institute. In February 2023, the U.S. Naval Institute said that illegal immigrant interdiction operations were in a "state of emergency" due to societal turmoil in Caribbean countries.

Along the border between the U.S. and Mexico in California, illegal immigrants attempt to cross into America using boats as well.On July 12, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted three people who were trying to enter the U.S. illegally by boat and were apprehended at Imperial Beachin San Diego County, California. Two individuals said they wereMexican, while one said they were Turkish.

In January, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a boat carrying 21 illegal immigrants that was headed toward San Diego. Coast Guard officials and Border Protection officials apprehended the illegal immigrants, who were from various countries.

"They don't want anyone to drown and die trying to cross into the U.S. Illegally…"

— Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation "Initial interviews revealed that all individuals claimed Mexican nationality, although subsequent checks identified two passengers as Guatemalan and Salvadoran nationals," the Coast Guard wrote in a press release.

California isn't close to the only state having to handle migrant incursions along its shores.

In February, the Coast Guard intercepted 132 Haitians on a boat south of the Florida Keys. The Coast Guard boarded the 30-foot vessel and processed the illegal immigrants before they were repatriated to Haiti, according to officials.

"The Coast Guard will continue to prioritize strengthening our domestic integrity and disrupting attempts to enter the United States illegally by sea," said Coast Guard District Seven enforcement officer Lt. Zane Carter. "We are steadfast in our mission to safeguard America by securing our maritime borders."

Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital thatthese interdictions create a unique danger for law enforcement authorities.

"Well, I've seen a very different pattern, say, between the U.K. and France versus off the U.S. coast, where it seems to be a variety of, you know, if it's professional smugglers with really fast boats trying to bring people in and drop them off, then that's one thing for the Coast Guard to cope with," Hankinson said. "And if it is people organizing themselves in leaky boats with insufficient engines and overcrowded conditions, then it's a different thing. I think for the Coast Guard, for our law enforcement, that the issue of safety is obviously paramount."

"They don't want anyone to drown and die trying to cross into the U.S. Illegally, even if they're not supposed to do it, but they're also probably worried about people carrying weapons who are trying to smuggle drugs and people in for money," he added.

Hankinson said the U.S. should look at what's happening in the United Kingdom as a case study on what to avoid. The U.K. saw 19,982 cross the English Channel to enter the country in the first six months of 2025, according to Sky News. That figure is up almost 50% compared to the first six months of 2024.

"You know, I was born in England. It's tragic what's happening there," he said."You have a whole family of Palestinians who were allowed to stay, even though they'd applied under a program for Ukrainians. You know it's a sort of national suicide by generosity.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/illegal-immigrants-storm-us-beaches-coast-guard-battles-migrant-surge-rose-under-biden

Plane crash off California coast kills 3

Witness heard aircraft circling at low altitude before fatal crash claimed lives of three Monterey County residents By Stephen Sorace Fox News Published July 28, 2025 8:09am EDT

Three people aboard a small airplane were killed over the weekend when the aircraft crashed in the Pacific Ocean off the central California coast, authorities said.

Emergency crews responded just before 11 p.m. Saturday to reports of a twin-engine Beechcraft carrying three people that went downabout 300 yards off Point Pinosin Monterey County, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Unit identified the occupants as Steve Eugene Clatterbuck, 60, of Salinas, James Vincent, 36, of Monterey, and Jamie Lee Tabscott, 44, of Monterey.

The Beechcraft B-95-B55 aircraft had taken off from the San Carlos airport at 10:11 p.m. and was last seen at 10:36 p.m. near Monterey, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.com.

==A witness told AIO Filmz that he heard the plane circling at a low altitude for about 30 seconds before hearing a "thump." Video footage from the scene shows debris from the aircraft scattered along the shoreline.

Coast Guard boat and helicopter crews, local law enforcement and fire agencies launched a search for the victims. The operation lasted for a combined 13 hours, covering 346 miles of trackline over an area of approximately 100 square miles, USCG said.

A fire boat crew recovered the first body just after 3 a.m. Sunday.Divers found the two other victims inside the fuselage of the aircraft between 6:30 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. (is that normal to be in the fuselage?)

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said the victims’ families have asked for privacy during this time.

"The family and friends of the deceased have expressed that they wish to extend their gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community," the sheriff’s office said.

(Does anyone else think with all these crashes and near crashes starting in January,the Chinese or others are using energy weapons?)

https://www.foxnews.com/us/plane-crash-off-california-coast-kills-3

Citizen Free Press

@CitizenFreePres

Bill Maher, Stephen A. Smith and John Fetterman are the only three democrats (Maher claims to be independent) who will actually give Trump credit on a regular basis. At least they're occasionally honest.

Bill Maher — I loved Trump’s strike on Iran.

From Jason Cohen 🇺🇸

1:52 PM · Jul 28, 2025

·3,884

https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1949890708883521828

Former Epstein lawyer says Bondi ‘jumped the gun a bit’ on files

Amalia Huot-Marchand

Fri, July 25, 2025 at 12:24 PM EDT

David Schoen, a former lawyer for Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, said Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials “jumped the gun a bit”in overhyping the Epstein files.

Schoen in an interview with BBC “Newsnight”Thursday said there is no Epstein “client list” that would highlight connections between the disgraced financier and wealthy individuals.

“If someone were to think that there’s actually a list— which Jeffrey Epstein wrote down the name of, you fill in the name of the famous, wealthy person with some young girl —that just doesn’t exist,” he said.

He also suggested that Bondi and other officials created a hyped environment about what might be included in the files that couldn’t be matched by what was released.

Schoen was careful to not blame President Trump for overhyping the files. He said he thought Trump had called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI to release anything big they found and that the others jumped the gun in how they described what was coming.

“I think what happened is, President Trump said he’s open to the idea, and it should be disclosed if there’s any such file that hasn’t been disclosed so far.

But he didn’t know what was in it,” Schoen said.

“I think that maybe some of the others, the attorney general, director of the FBI, and so on, jumped the gun a bit.They were in favor, for good reasons, of disclosing and full transparency, but they didn’t know what they had yet,” he said.

“When they saw what they had, there was no ‘smoking gun’ and therefore they said there was nothing to release of any substance. And now you see this catch-up,” Schoen said.

The controversy over the Epstein files has continued for weeks, causing problems for Trump and Republicans in Congress. Democrats have sought to further divide the GOP over the issue by offering amendments in committee to release more federal information on Epstein.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday was set to meet with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is imprisoned on sex trafficking charges.

Trump said Friday he hadn’t thought about pardoning Maxwell.

Republicans in Congress have been divided over how to handle the issue.

Some have called for the release of all files on Epstein held by the DOJ, while others have wanted to put guardrails on disclosures.

Schoen is far from the first person to argue the files were overhyped.

Karl Rove, republican strategist, said Thursday, “There’s hell to pay when those who hyped the conspiracy have closed the books on the case.”

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino as a conservative pundit outside the administration was among those pressing the idea there were files that showed the government could be protecting wealthy associates of Epstein.

Epstein’s acquaintances include a number of luminaries — including Trump and former President Clinton — which has sparked conspiracy theories for years. Schoen previously made statements that no client list existed and that Trump was not involved in the Epstein case.

He stated June 16 on NewsNationthat Bondi and Trump were not hiding a client list.

On June 5, Schoen posted on social platform X, “I was hired to lead Jeffrey Epstein’s defense as his criminal lawyer 9 days before he died. He sought my advice for months before that.I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him!”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/former-epstein-lawyer-says-bondi-162402541.html

(It's nice not to see Bondi on news shows multiple times a day, that's a good result)

Kevin McMahon

@Kevin__McMahon

.@LarryOConnor found footage in 2024 of Senator Adam Schiff claiming that his “primary residence is in California.”

“Always has been, always will be.”

Schiff is a liar.

From Townhall.com

10:21 AM · Jul 17, 2025

·139.6K

Views

https://x.com/Kevin__McMahon/status/1945851480847634567

Trump and the GOP working on an ‘agenda 2027’ to tell voters what to expect if they retain Congressional control

Kelly Rissman Sun, July 27, 2025 at 1:24 PM EDT

President Donald Trump and his White House are influencing GOP congressional candidates and advising who to run and who to stand down as Republicans try to keep control of both chambers of Congress in midterm elections next year.

The White House is strategizing to make sure Republicans win enough seats and is putting together “a 2027 policy agenda” so Trump, who plans to join candidates on the campaign trail, can explain what continued GOP control of the House, Senate and the White House could look like, a White House official told Politico.

This strategy includes telling which Republican candidates to run for office and which to “stay put,” the official said.

For example, Iowa Republican Rep. Zach Nunn was weighing a gubernatorial run when the president told him to “stay put,” the outlet reported. Nunn this month announced he was running for re-election.

“After prayerful consideration with his family and the strong support from President Trump, Zach is more committed than ever to maintaining the Republican majority and advancing the America First Agenda,” the congressman’s campaign spokesperson said. The president has also publicly endorsed Nunn.

The president also advised Michigan GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga to avoid running for Senate. Trump instead publicly backed Senator Mike Rogers this week, saying he “has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

Earlier this month, Trump met with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst to encourage her to run for re-election, Politico previously reported. Questions about Ernst’s political future swirled after her viral remark about proposed Medicaid cuts: “We all are going to die.”

“President Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican Party — just look at those who have bet against him in the past because they are no longer around,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Politico.

“The President will help his Republican friends on Capitol Hill get reelected, and work to pick up new seats across the country.”

Democrats are likely hoping for a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when they destroyed Republicans’ trifecta by taking control of the House during Trump’s first term.

“I’m sure there’s some memories from 2018, but it’s all about these last two years of his presidency and his legacy, and he doesn’t want the Democrats nipping at his heels all the time for the last two years,” Tony Fabrizio, the pollster for Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, told Politico.

Trump has acknowledged the power he has to influence voters. He recently suggested holding rallies for candidates, two White House officials told the outlet.

The president reportedly told one of the officials last week: “We’re going to have to campaign in the states and really get out there a lot, huh? Because really, it’s just me that can pull them out in a lot of places.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-gop-working-agenda-2027-172422899.html

Delta pilot about to fly transatlantic route failed breathalyzer, officials say

The pilot was arrested ‘on suspicion of drunkenness’, according to local police

Madeline Sherratt Wednesday 23 July 2025 16:43 BST

A Delta Airlines transatlantic flight bound for New York City was canceled when the pilot was arrested after she failed a breathalyzer test, police have told the Swedish media.

The pilot was charged with suspicion of drunkenness and taken into custody at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport around 9:00 am local time Tuesday, according to police spokesperson Nadya Norton, to Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet. The newspaper reported that the pilot is from the U.S.

In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Delta said that there was “no pilot intoxication” and that she has been released from custody.“We continue to work with authorities to review what occurred,” the statement added.

The nearly nine-hour Delta Air Lines flight 205 was due to arrive in the U.S. at around 1 p.m. Eastern time. According to Aftonbladet, the suspect is a pilot from the U.S.

The woman has been detained and is in custody pending a prosecutor's review, according to ABC New York. A prosecutor now has 72 hours to decide whether to charge or release her.

Under Swedish law, the pilot could face a fine or up to six months in jail for a "normal violation." If the blood alcohol level is significantly high, the penalty can go up to two years in prison. Police informed ABC News that, in this incident, it did not appear to be the case.

In a statement, Delta Air Lines said it will fully cooperate with authorities, "as nothing is more important than the safety and security of our customers and people. We apologize to our customers for the disruption to their travel, and teams are working to get them to their destinations as soon as possible."

The passengers on the morning flight were entitled to receive $705 in cash compensation because of the incident, according to aviation site View From The Wing.The compensation, which covers all passengers who were on board the 226-seat Boeing 767-332 aircraft, will cost Delta approximately $160,000, thanks to European Union rule 261, which covers lengthy delays and inconvenience.

Costs associated with temporary lodging, meals, and any possible disruption to follow-on flights are not included in the payout, VFTW reports.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency mandates random alcohol testing for flight and cabin crew operating out of EU member states, as per Regulation 2018/1042.

However, this incident is reportedly not the first case of alleged intoxication to occur, as two Delta flight attendants working on Delta’s flight 49 from Amsterdam to New York JFK were also arrested for failing a breathalyzer in November 2024.

The Independent contacted Delta Airlines and Swedavia for comment.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/delta-pilot-failed-breathalyzer-b2794394.html

Golf Force One: Trump's armour-plated buggy is on display at Royal Turnberry as Secret Service deploy snipers in ring of steel to protect president's life

By CAMERON ROY Updated: 09:23 EDT, 27 July 2025

Donald Trump's new armour-plated buggy has been on display at Royal Turnberry as the president enjoys a round of golf during his trip to Scotland.It is the latest addition to his security detail, just ten months after he survived the world-famous assassination attempt while at a rally in Pennsylvania.

The Secret Service appeared to be taking every precaution on the outing asthere were also a stream of army trucks, road checkpoints, and snipers positioned in a ring of steel to protect the president's life. But the most noteworthy security feature on the rural Turnberry coursewas an additional security measure in the form of a black-clad, reinforced golf cart.

Although the president opted to drive a standard-looking white buggy around the course, a distinctly bulkier off-road vehicle trailed him closely throughout.Security experts believe the cart bore all the 'tell-tale signs' of being a heavily armoured protection vehicle.It bore similarities to 'The Beast' – the official US presidential car that accompanies the president on most journeys.

The machine has been famous for decades and is believed to bulletproof and heavily armoured, featuring Bond-style gadgets, including smoke screens and electrified door handles.

The black-clad reinforced golf cart has been noticed for the following reasons: 1. The black band around the windscreen indicates the vehicle is armoured. 2. Indentation around the windows is another telltale sign of armouring, suggesting more panels have been added for protection. 3. Windows are tinted as they have been strengthened with layers of laminate, known as 'transparent armour'. 4. An armoured panel appears to have been added to the rear, potentially made from hardened steel plating

Experts told The Telegraph that the biggest giveaway the buggy was armoured was the black band wrapping around it. One expert, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.'

He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XPand revealed Trump's cart would be designed to offer passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to not damage the course. But it is thought that the front of the buggy, alongside its wheels and tyres, are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model.

The Polaris Ranger XP retails to normal customers for around £20,000, but it is though Trump's heavily-modified version will have cost far more. This is because it's 'not a tank' and is an 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, according to experts. It is thought the vehicle was accompanying Trump to allow him a safe getaway if he was fired upon while out on the exposed golf course.

A US Secret Service spokesman said:'The US Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.'

His level of vulnerability while playing his favourite sport was revealed when, on September 15 2024, his guards spotted a man aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Mr Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida.

After the incident, it was reported the Secret Service told Trump in a private meeting that significant new security arrangements will be needed if he wants to keep playing golf.In the aftermath he also indicated he'll keep playing golf despite warnings from the agency it is difficult to protect him on his course.

Paul Eckloff, a Secret Service agent of 20 years who protected Trump during his presidency, told the BBC in September: 'The hobby of golf is particularly problematic:You're outside, an outdoor venue, for hours at a time.'But Trump has been bullish about playing the sport, despite the risks. In September he said: 'I just said let's let's go play a quick round because it's all business for me. It's my only bit of a form of exercise, so I like it, just something that is good.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14944635/Golf-Force-One-Trumps-armour-plated-buggy-Royal-Turnberry-Secret-Service.html