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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Kelly Rissman

Secret Service launch probe after agent tried to smuggle wife on board plane headed to Scotland for Trump’s visit

The Secret Service launched a “personnel investigation” after one of its agents tried to bring his wife on board a plane heading to Scotland for President Trump’s trip.

The president departed for Scotland last Friday on a four-day trip. On a support flight, a Secret Service agent tried to smuggle his wife, who is a member of the U.S. Air Force, on board the plane, an agency spokesperson told The Independent.

The Secret Service was using a plane, operated by the Air Force, to transport personnel and equipment.

“Prior to the overseas departure, the employee was advised by supervisors that such action was prohibited, and the spouse was subsequently prevented from taking the flight,” the spokesperson said.

The agency is now conducting a “personnel investigation.”

“No Secret Service protectees were aboard and there was no impact to our overseas protective operations,” the spokesman added.

According to RealClearPolitics, which first reported the story, the Secret Service agent was based in Dallas. The agent reportedly flew his wife to Maryland, where she received a briefing about the Scotland trip at a hotel before taking a bus to the visitor lounge at Joint Base Andrews. That’s where she was told to leave, sources told the outlet.

Trump’s trip to the U.K. has been nothing short of eventful.

Upon arrival, he was met by hundreds of demonstrators protesting his visit. While there, he opened a new golf course in Aberdeenshire, which was briefly locked down on its opening day as police checked out a suspicious vehicle near the property.

Clips of him playing flooded the internet, with some social media users claiming the videos show the president cheating on the course.

President Donald Trump holds scissors after cutting the inaugural ribbon during an opening ceremony for the Trump International Golf Links golf course near Aberdeen, Scotland (AP)

Shortly after his arrival, Trump issued a fiery warning to Europe about its immigration.

“You better get your act together,” the president said upon arriving in Glasgow. “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe.”

The president also boasted about his recent trade deal with the United Kingdom, one of several he has made with countries after threatening sweeping tariffs.

Referring to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said in Glasgow: “I like your prime minister, he’s slightly more liberal than I am – as you probably heard – but he’s a good man. He got a trade deal done.”

During his meeting with Starmer, Trump gave the prime minister the green light to recognize Palestine as a state. The U.S. president also acknowledged there was “real starvation” in Gaza, breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s denial of a humanitarian crisis. He then vowed that the U.S. would ramp up its humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Trump returned Tuesday to the U.S., where the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein case fallout still dominates the news cycle.

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