'Heightened threat environment': Avenger air defence systems deployed near Trump’s Florida Mar-a-Lago residence - video

Missile defence systems have been deployed near US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence and at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, with viral visuals showing military equipment positioned on a barge close to the presidential estate.The deployment comes ahead of Tuesday's US midterm elections, amid what the US Secret Service has described as a "heightened threat environment".Photographs taken last week showed two Avenger Air Defence Systems positioned on a barge in the waters near Mar-a-Lago, Trump's primary residence and resort in Palm Beach. US service members in military fatigues were also seen in the vicinity, The Independent reported.An Avenger system was also installed on the southern side of Palm Beach International Airport, recently renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport, according the South Florida Sun Sentinel.The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed to WPBF that the defence systems had been installed "in and around" Mar-a-Lago.Secret Service cites heightened threat environmentA Secret Service spokesperson said the agency had adjusted its protective arrangements in response to the security environment."The US Secret Service is operating in a heightened threat environment, and we continuously adapt our protective operations to incorporate cutting-edge tools, technology, and methods to safeguard our protectees," the spokesperson told The Independent.The spokesperson added, "At the request of the US Secret Service, NORAD and US Northern Command are providing Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System capabilities in support of our protective operations."The Avenger is a mobile air defence system designed to counter aerial threats. The platform is mounted on a Humvee and uses short-range Stinger missiles and a .50-calibre machine gun to engage low-altitude aerial threats, including aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.Aircraft intercepted near Mar-a-LagoThe deployment comes amid heightened tensions with Iran in the Middle East and follows a series of airspace security incidents near the Florida estate.Last week, while Trump was in Florida, a fighter jet intercepted a civilian aircraft that had entered restricted airspace over Mar-a-Lago.NORAD said the fighter jet carried out a standard "headbutt" manoeuvre to draw the pilot's attention, after which the civilian aircraft established communication and safely left the restricted airspace in accordance with flight instructions.NORAD, a joint US-Canadian military command, has intercepted more than 60 aircraft violating flight restrictions around Palm Beach since January last year.The Kyiv Post, citing The Telegraph, reported that federal court filings showed the Secret Service was seeking permanent flight restrictions around Mar-a-Lago.The filings cited concerns over potential terrorist threats and aerial intrusions. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn described the threat profile in the documents as "heightened, real, and dynamic".Earlier security incidents involving TrumpTrump has faced several alleged threats to his life in recent years. In 2024, an armed man was found hiding in bushes along the perimeter of the president's Florida golf club.In February this year, a 21-year-old man drove through a gate at Mar-a-Lago carrying a shotgun before he was shot and killed.On many occasions, Iran has also threatened to harm Trump.The latest deployment also comes as Trump continues his campaign appearances ahead of the midterm elections.He was at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday after holding a rally in Daytona Beach on Friday and was scheduled to travel to Kansas and Iowa for further rallies on Sunday, according to The Independent.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.