Secret Service Aware Of Keith Olbermann's Trump Assassination Tweet, Won't Say If He's Being Investigated
The Secret Service is aware of Keith Olbermann viral Donald Trump tweet, but won't say if he's under investigation.
Olbermann shocked people on X when he sent a tweet that appeared to suggest he hoped Trump would be assassinated like Abraham Lincoln was.
The tweet quickly went viral with many believing the implication was clear:
He wanted Trump to meet Lincoln's fate.
Keith Olbermann deleted viral tweet comparing Trump to Lincoln assassination. (Credit: X)
As a former President, Trump is granted Secret Service protection for life, and the USSS is notoriously vigorous when it comes to dealing with anything even remotely threatening to someone under its protection.
Add in the fact Trump is the Republican candidate, and it's not hard to figure out why the stakes are so high.
Secret Service ‘aware’ of Keith Olbermann's now-deleted Trump tweet.
I reached out to the Secret Service, and asked if the agency is aware of the tweet from Olbermann hinting at assassination and if an investigation was underway. The Secret Service confirmed that it's "aware of the comments" from Olbermann, but won't confirm if an investigation is underway.
"The USSS does not confirm or comment on matters of protective intelligence," a Secret Service official told me when directly asked if the USSS was aware of Olbermann's tweet.
While it's impossible to know whether or not an investigation is underway, it is important to note it wasn't denied and the USSS confirmed it is aware of what Olbermann tweeted. The USSS simply would "not confirm or comment" past that.
Secret Service silent on Keith Olbermann tweet about Donald Trump and Abraham Lincoln assassination. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Olbermann did end up deleting the tweet, and later claimed he simply meant that he wanted Trump to die in prison. Is he telling the truth or simply hoping to save his skin?
Only Keith Olbermann knows, but I'd also try to find an excuse if the federal government was going to come asking some questions.
It's definitely not unusual for the Secret Service to reach out to people over any comment or action that can be interpreted as a potential problem. The agency famously interviewed Ted Nugent after he said, "I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year" if Obama was re-elected.
The Secret Service also interviewed an artist during the Obama presidency over tweets allegedly implying the country needed another Lee Harvey Oswald. Again, the USSS doesn't play games with anything that can be even slightly threatening.
Secret Service won't say if Keith Olbermann is being investigated. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
I am continuing to press the Secret Service for further information about Olbermann, and update the piece with any further information that might come in. Let me know your thoughts on the situation at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.