President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. A former Secret Service agent explained to NPR how the U.S. Secret Service prepares for last-minute trips like this, especially when they involve sensitive international matters. Trump announced the meeting last week.
Bill Gage, a former Secret Service agent who worked under the Bush and Obama administrations, told NPR that for the U.S. Secret Service, the typical amount of time they need to prepare for a foreign trip involving the president or vice president is usually about two to two and a half weeks.
To prepare, he said the agency focuses on essentials like rental cars, flights and hotel rooms because agents need transportation, and they need to be flown to the location and need places to stay while protecting the president.
He clarified that since this high-stakes meeting is happening in Alaska, the agency won’t need to deal with extra complications like getting country clearances, applying for visas or securing permits to carry weapons.
Limited resources in Anchorage
Bloomberg reports that Anchorage, Alaska, has a limited number of hotel rooms and rental cars available, making it challenging to support a large, high-security visit like this presidential trip. The news outlet spoke to Beau Disbrow, a real estate agent in the market, who said he’s been scrambling to find homes and places to stay for those involved in the summit.
Diplomatic protocol and security coordination
The U.S. State Department has official rules and procedures for how international meetings should be conducted, Bloomberg reports. The meeting is being carefully planned according to diplomatic rules, with both the U.S. and Russian teams ensuring fair and equal treatment of each leader. Each side’s security is responsible for its own leader, with coordinated zones of control.
Secret Service agents, both visible and undercover, are stationed across the city. State and local law enforcement are working with federal agents and integrated into the motorcade routes to ensure everything runs safely and smoothly, according to Bloomberg.
Russia-Ukraine conflict at the center of talks
Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet for high-level discussions focused on finding a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
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Author: Cole Lauterbach
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