Trump famously does not have any pets and broke a decadeslong tradition of bringing an animal along with his family to live in the White House. It’s not clear if the robotic dogs spotted at Mar-a-Lago are going to make the trip north to Washington, D.C., but they are adding an extra layer of protection for the time being.

The Secret Service has added four-legged robotic dogs with surveillance capability and other “advanced sensors” to its security arsenal protecting Trump.

“Those are Secret Service assets,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Washington Examiner when asked about the dogs. “Safeguarding the President-elect is a top priority. 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.”

Real Security for President Trump

A robotic dog from ‘Boston Dynamics’ patrols Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence amid a heightened security presence at his home following his election victory. @Reuters pic.twitter.com/cqZCSvddgt

— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) November 7, 2024

The dogs are colored white and red with visible cameras and a sign that says, “DO NOT PET.” The dog is made by Boston Dynamics, a robotic company based in Massachusetts. Other law enforcement agencies have adopted robotic dogs for a variety of reasons including bomb disposal and COVID-19 testing.

Trump has had two assassination attempts on his life, and since becoming president-elect, his security likely becomes even more vital to the Secret Service.

The robotic dogs look to be a step toward enhancing his security, though it is unknown whether the dogs have any lethal capabilities.

It’s also a sign the Secret Service has been more open to adopting modern technology to protect Trump. They were criticized after his July 13 assassination attempt for not deploying drones effectively enough to prevent the shooting. The shooter used his own drone to survey the area.