By Steve Neavling
The U.S. Secret Service has confirmed that robotic dogs are being used to help secure President-elect Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago, following reports of one of the units being seen patrolling the area on Thursday.
The robotic unit, referred to by the Secret Service as a “high-tech hound,” was captured on video by Reuters, walking the perimeter of the Palm Beach estate alongside an agent.
Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief communications officer, did not specify how long these robotic dogs had been employed at Mar-a-Lago but noted that they incorporate technology to bolster the agency’s security measures, Nexstar reports.
“Safeguarding the President-elect is a top priority,” Guglielmi said in a statement provided to Nexstar. “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 previously highlighted the capabilities of these robotic units in a video from the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. A Secret Service official explained that the units are part of the agency’s “ASTRO” program, which stands for “Autonomous Systems and Technical Robotic Operation.”
According to the official, the robotic “dogs” can be equipped with technology for bomb and chemical threat detection, as well as cameras with thermal imaging and high-resolution zoom functions.
“I’m kind of excited to see what’s going to come out [of the ASTRO program] as it continues to progress forward,” the official noted. “With just a quick download, the robot just continues to get better with every software update.”
The heightened security measures at Mar-a-Lago come in the wake of Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, during which he was targeted in two assassination attempts. Additionally, the FBI announced on Friday that Trump was the target of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot, with three individuals being charged in connection to the alleged scheme.
