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What goes into protecting a U.S. president?

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River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

The Secret Service is facing sharp criticism in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

On this episode of River to River, host Ben Kieffer is joined by John Bay, a retired U.S. secret service agent. Bay spent 20 years working for the White House, and this hour, he will share his thoughts on Saturday’s assassination attempt on former president Trump. Bay calls Saturday's security breech a 'catastrophic failure.'

Later in the hour, Tom Schwartz, the director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, also joins the program.

Guests:

  • John Benjamin Bay, former U.S. Secret Service special agent
  • Tom Schwartz, director, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Caitlin Troutman is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from William Jewell College. Since 2022, Troutman has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Madeleine Willis is IPR's Production Assistant supporting the talk shows and The Sunny Side Project. Willis has experience in audio production, reporting, writing and editing stories and conversations. She's reported and produced conversations on womanhood, sports, and good news from across Iowa. Willis will receive her bachelors degree from the University of Iowa in May 2025.