The U.S. Secret Service has confirmed the use of robotic dogs to beef up President-elect Donald Trump’s security at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
These “robot dogs”, designed by the robotic engineering company Boston Dynamics, were spotted patrolling Trump’s mansion Thursday morning.
However, Anthony Gugliemi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, did not clarify for how long these robotic dogs will remain in operation at Mar-a-Lago, but said that these technological devices are state-of-the-art in protecting any outside infiltration.
“Safeguarding the President-elect is a top priority,” Guglielmi wrote in a statement. “While we cannot get into the specific capabilities, the robotic dogs are equipped with surveillance technology, and an array of advanced sensors that support our protective operations.”
The Secret Service showcased the robots’ capabilities in a video from the July 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. In the video, a Secret Service official explains that these units are part of the agency’s “ASTRO” program, an acronym for “Autonomous Systems and Technical Robotic Operation.”
The official highlighted that the robotic “dogs” can be armed with technology to detect explosives and chemical hazards, as well as cameras featuring thermal imaging and high-resolution zoom capabilities.
“I’m kind of excited to see what’s going to come out [of the ASTRO program] it continues to progress forward,” an official from the Secret Service said. “With just a quick download, the robot just continues to get better with every software update.”
However, the robotic dogs were just one element of security measures implemented at Mar-a-Lago; A Coast Guard boat equipped with rifles was in fact spotted just outside Florida Trump’s mansion.
These intense measures of security demonstrate how the Secret Services has enhanced its operations and control over Trump’s electoral victory in the 2024 election.
Also, the FBI stated this Friday that Trump was the main target of an Iranian murder attack; three people have been in fact charged in connection with the alleged plot, but still Iran has denied any type of involvement.
