When Donald Trump arrived at a rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania, on Monday AEDT, the full theatricality of American politics was on display. Walking from a black SUV to the podium, Trump co-opted WWE wrestler The Undertaker’s entrance song Rest In Peace — a funereal dirge complete with church bells and organs. The former president then stood and swayed for two and a half minutes of Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA.
As the unofficial national anthem played its final notes, Trump raised a fist and knocked twice on an enormous plate of bulletproof glass. Chants of “USA” followed. The protective glass, which is typically used to protect only sitting presidents and vice presidents, has become an unwelcome staple at Trump’s outdoor rallies since a July assassination attempt.
Trump standing between two bulletproof panels, probably made of layers of glass and polycarbonate.Credit: AP
Half an hour into the rally, Trump began to lament the impact the panels would have on his appearance, saying “When you watch me tonight you’ll say ‘the president doesn’t look that good’. Well, how the hell do you look good? Look at the size of this sucker. I don’t look great on television when you have a four-inch piece of glass that a Howitzer can’t go through.”
For bulletproof glass to meet the standard for government use in the USA, it must be able to withstand five shots from one of America’s 1.2 million submachine guns or rifles. According to Nathan Munz, the managing director of Australian ballistic glass manufacturer Glassform, the panels used in both Trump and Harris rallies appear to be designed to withstand a particularly aggressive assault.
Panels are assumed to be between 60mm and 100mm thick and are tested against machine-gun and rifle fire. Credit: AP
“It looks like it’s at least five layers, and it seems like the outside is glass,” said Munz. “They’ve got some layers of plastic as well, so that’s got a pretty high rating, that kind of glass.”
Loading
Over 35 years, Munz has supplied Australian embassies and government buildings, as well as other clients he can’t discuss for security reasons. He said that for the well-being of those standing behind the glass, specifications on panel manufacturing and capability are often not disclosed, which made commenting on their features difficult.
Munz said that as heavy-duty as the glass shields protecting Trump and Harris looked, he was shocked by the fact that there were significant spaces between panels.