Donald Trump’s family is reportedly at heightened risk of assassination, with fears mounting over the Secret Service’s limited ability to provide sufficient protection. Recent threats and resource constraints have raised concerns for Trump’s wife, Melania, and teenage son, Barron, as well as his politically active sons, Donald Jr. and Eric.
Reports suggest the Trump family has become a high-priority target for both domestic extremists and international actors, particularly in the wake of two assassination attempts on Trump himself and Iran’s continued hostility following the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Private investigator and security expert Paul Huebl said to RadarOnline:
“The threat level is high now because the country is so divided… Many people are angry with the election results, and there are those who want to hurt him.”
The Secret Service, the agency tasked with protecting the former president and his family, is already stretched thin. Despite requesting funds to hire 2,000 additional agents for the 2026 fiscal year, the agency continues to operate with just 8,000 personnel—forcing them to make do with limited resources.
Matthew Noyes, the agency’s director of cyber policy and strategy, admitted during a recent global security forum that years of underfunding have hampered their ability to adequately staff critical missions. “We do the best we can with the resources we have, but we’ve been constrained for over a decade now,” he said.
Assassination Attempts Expose Weak Points
In the past year, Trump has survived two assassination attempts, both of which underscored glaring vulnerabilities in his security detail. The first incident occurred on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, while the second saw an armed individual come within several hundred yards of Trump at his Florida golf course.
These close calls have sparked bipartisan criticism of the Secret Service’s preparedness, with a special House task force probing the incidents. Security experts warn that improving the agency’s capabilities is not an overnight solution. “They can’t just increase the number of Secret Service agents,” said Wayne Madsen, a former consultant for the National Security Agency. “Training takes time—over a year, in fact—and you can’t simply plug in police officers to fill the gap.”
Family Members in the Crosshairs
The security challenges extend to Trump’s immediate family, particularly Melania and Barron Trump. Melania’s decision to reside at Trump Tower in Manhattan presents logistical difficulties for the Secret Service, given the high-profile nature of the building and its location in a densely populated urban center.
Meanwhile, Barron Trump, now an 18-year-old student at New York University, faces a unique set of risks. The teenager has become a target of social media harassment, with some students openly filming him around campus and posting videos online.
“Barron can’t walk out the door without being surrounded by students with cameras,” Madsen explained. “Everything he does is documented and visible. That visibility attracts attention, and not all of it is harmless.”
Adding to the risk, foreign operatives may exploit Barron’s vulnerability. Intelligence sources have noted an increase in spies from nations like Russia infiltrating U.S. universities under the guise of students and researchers.
“Somebody may try to go after Barron or Melania just to hurt Trump,” Huebl cautioned. “It could be an organized effort by political forces or an unhinged individual acting alone, but both scenarios are equally dangerous.”
A Global Threat Landscape
Iran remains one of the most vocal foreign adversaries seeking revenge against Trump for authorizing the drone strike that killed Soleimani. Tehran’s motivation to target Trump and his family has added a layer of complexity to an already fraught security situation.
While the Secret Service works to safeguard Trump and his loved ones, experts warn that the strain on resources leaves room for vulnerabilities. The agency faces mounting pressure to address these gaps as the country braces for further political and social turmoil.
