Bongino is particularly concerned about the fact that it just takes one person to interpret the cultural atmosphere as permission rather than the fact that most people have violent intent—clearly they do not. The risk profile increases when legal disputes, political demonstrations, and constant media amplification occur simultaneously. Security experts are aware that emotional instability makes hasty actions more likely, particularly when targets are highly visible and divisive.
The potential for politicized protection is arguably the most worrisome aspect of Bongino’s warning. The United States Secret Service is intended to function above politics, basing its decisions only on intelligence, threat analysis, and the need for protection. Any degradation of that concept, whether through diminished resources, limited exposure, or politically influenced decision-making, creates a risky precedent, Bongino warns.
