A report issued early Thursday morning by the Los Angeles Times suggests that the Trump Administration’s gutting of various programs aimed at defending against terrorist attacks may have left this year’s Final Four vulnerable.
The Administration has cut the use of specialized, mobile detection units to help protect large public events from nuclear and radiological threats. The deployments have helped train local and state responders for a potential emergency.
According to the report, this was the first time in years that Homeland Security did not send a unit to protect the NCAA Final Four college basketball championship in April in Minneapolis.
The changes could affect large sporting events in the future, such as the World Series, college football bowls and the Super Bowl, depending on whether government agencies decide they need to be involved.
The Times reports that more than 30 current and former Homeland Security employees and contractors voiced concern that the changes — including the cancellation of dozens of training exercises and the departure of scores of scientists and policy experts — have put Americans at greater risk.
