Washington DC - Secret Service officials have issued a warning regarding the threat level ahead of the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Secret Service Director Sean Curran revealed agents have opened around 10,000 protective intelligence cases since January – a nearly 40% increase from the same period last year.

"The numbers are numbers that this agency and certainly I have never seen in my 24-year career," Curran said.

"The environment has become very volatile, and that's just across the board," he added.

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"The threat picture and environment is as large as I've ever seen it."

In April, President Donald Trump, administration officials, and members of the press attended the original gala, but it was interrupted when suspected gunman Cole Allen opened fire at a security checkpoint outside the ballroom.

In June, the White House Correspondents Association announced the event would be rescheduled for July 24, adding, "We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word."

According to CBS News, agents have attributed the threat level to a combination of online threats, lone actors, ideological grievances, foreign threats, and cases involving mental-health concerns, with the vast majority taking place online.

In recent years, elected officials have seen a rise in threats, particularly against Trump, who has survived several attempts on his life.

During Wednesday's briefing, officials also confirmed they were aware of recent threats made by Iran to assassinate the president and revealed the threat of drones being used to harm protected individuals is "real."