(NEXSTAR) – The U.S. Secret Service has confirmed that robotic dogs are indeed being utilized to secure President-elect Donald Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago after a unit was seen patrolling the area on Thursday.
The “high-tech hound,” as the Secret Service has been known to call it, was filmed walking the perimeter of the Palm Beach property alongside an agent, video shared by Reuters shows.
Anthony Guglielmi, the chief communications officer for the Secret Service, did not say how long the robots had been in use at Mar-a-Lago, but told Nexstar that they boast technology that can aid the service’s security goals.
“Safeguarding the President-elect is a top priority,” Guglielmi wrote in a statement shared with 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 had also highlighted the robots’ abilities in a video shared from July’s 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. A Secret Service official explains that the units are part of its “ASTRO” program, which stands for “Autonomous Systems and Technical Robotic Operation.”
(Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)
The official said the “dogs” can be outfitted with technology to detect bombs and chemical threats, and features cameras with thermal technology and high-res 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 explains. “With just a quick download, the robot just continues to get better with every software update.”
The robotic dogs, meanwhile, were merely a part of the security measures observed at Mar-a-Lago since Election Day: A Coast Guard boat mounted with rifles was also pictured in the Lake Worth Lagoon just outside the property.
The emphasis on security at Mar-a-Lago comes amid Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential race, during which time he was the target of two assassination attempts. The FBI also said Friday that Trump was the target of an Iranian murder-for-hire plot. Three people have been charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
