Secret Service is 400 employees short of what Congress authorized, according to a report on the Trump assassination attempt.

The Secret Service is currently understaffed by approximately 400 employees due to fresh scrutiny following the second Trump assassination attempt, according to a report.

Government records viewed by Reuters show that as of February, the Secret Service had 7,879 employees, which is less than the 8,300 staffers budgeted for the agency.

Former agent Bill Gage informed the news agency that the Secret Service lacks both resources and personnel.

On Sunday, a Secret Service agent prevented an assassination attempt on Trump by firing at an armed individual near the perimeter of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect, Ryan Routh, was subsequently apprehended.

According to former agents, Trump's preference for playing golf on his own courses, like the one he played on Sunday near his Mar-a-Lago residence, presents additional security challenges. Unlike past presidents such as Obama and Clinton, who typically played on military golf courses that could be closed to the public, Trump's golfing activities require extra security measures.

Since President Biden dropped his re-election bid in July, the Secret Service has had to expand its protective coverage to a wider group of officials, putting additional strain on its staff.

"Former agent Kenneth Valentine stated that the pace, expectations, and pressure have never been as intense as they are currently," said Kenneth Valentine.

Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the Secret Service, stated to Congress in July that only 2% of applicants are hired for the agency due to the demanding nature of the job, and the agency is also facing challenges with staff leaving for better-paying jobs in the private sector, according to Reuters.

In 2022, James Murray, the former director, presented a plan to Congress for having 8,305 Secret Service staff members by 2023 and 10,000 by 2027, as reported by Reuters.