If you’re covering the heightened security in New Orleans for the Super Bowl with President Trump attending, you may want to consider speaking with Dr. Corri Zoli of Syracuse University’s Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute (FNSSI). She shared her insights below. To schedule an interview, please email Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.
Dr. Zoli writes: “A well-known sports fan, President Trump reportedly will be the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. Public sentiment is predictably polarized, but some of the issues raised define both our historical moment and reveal the priorities of a still-new Administration: this includes Trump’s intention to present himself as a public leader in the style of Andrew Jackson who looks out for and participates in the ordinary and economic interests of regular Americans, distancing himself from cosmopolitan political elites. It also includes his attempts to restore public confidence in law enforcement and security institutions, like the FBI, the Secret Service, and the military, which has just recently seen a recruitment jump of over 10%, after several slim years. Voters had expressed concerns about government security overreach both at home in politicized federal agencies and abroad with US involvement in too many countries, conflicts, and wars. While security coordination at the venue will be challenging, the president’s attendance may also signal confidence in local and federal law enforcement partnerships, from the New Orleans police to the federal Secret Service, given the recent terrorist attack on New Year’s Day by ISIS supporter Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who drove a truck into crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring over 50. New Orleans conducted an after action review addressing problems in communication and preparedness, noting that some officials left their posts early for the holiday. Critics have decried Trump’s divisiveness and thoughtlessness in creating security challenges by his presence at the Super Bowl, but Trump will likely use the opportunity in his characteristic way of claiming a very large public stage for his agenda.”
