A robot dog has been deployed to guard President-elect Donald Trump, drawing considerable attention. The star of the security enhancement is “Spot,” a four-legged robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics, a robotics subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group.
On Nov. 8, the New York Post published an article titled, “Trump Beefs Up Security with Robot Dog Seen Patrolling Mar-a-Lago Estate,” showing a picture of Spot patrolling Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The robot has a “DO NOT PET” warning on its legs, with advanced-looking sensors mounted on its body.
The U.S. Secret Service (SS), responsible for protecting current and former U.S. presidents and high-ranking officials, confirmed that the robot is part of their security team.
A SS spokesperson told the New York Post, “Protecting the President-elect is our top priority,” adding that while they could not disclose specific features, the robot dog is equipped with surveillance technology and various advanced sensors to support SS operations.
President-elect Trump has faced two assassination attempts during his campaign.
In July, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, an assassination attempt narrowly missed Trump when a bullet fired by an assailant grazed the area above his right ear, leaving him with only minor injuries. In September, while Trump was golfing in Florida, SS agents uncovered a second plot when they apprehended a man in his 50s hiding in the bushes armed with a firearm, thus averting another potential attack.
The use of Boston Dynamics’ robotic dog to protect the President-elect is expected to benefit Hyundai Motor Group positively.
Founded as a startup in 1992, Boston Dynamics was acquired by Google and later by SoftBank, before Hyundai took ownership in December 2020.
Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun appeared on stage with Spot at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, stating, “Just as people carry smartphones every day, there may come a time when they carry Spot with them.”
