The US Secret Service has revealed a series of failures following its review of the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump during a rally in July.
Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop at the outdoor event held by the Republican candidate, narrowly missing Trump, who sustained a wound to his right ear.
Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. acknowledged at a press briefing that the review “identified deficiencies in the advanced planning and its implementation.”
“While some members of the advance team were diligent, others displayed complacency that breached security protocols,” he said.
Mr. Rowe pointed out several shortcomings, including inadequate communication with local law enforcement, an “over-reliance” on mobile devices that led to siloed information, and acknowledged line of sight issues that were not appropriately addressed.
“At approximately 18:10 local time, the Secret Service security room received a phone call reporting an individual on the roof of the AGR building,” Mr. Rowe recounted. “That crucial information was not transmitted over the Secret Service radio network.”
“You killed several of us, shot your own Officers” Two attendees of the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, were injured from gunfire, and a third, 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore, tragically lost his life. Crooks was shot dead on the roof by Secret Service personnel.
In the aftermath of this harrowing event, Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and several agents were placed on leave. Mr. Rowe emphasized the need for the Secret Service to secure additional funding, personnel, and equipment to make a “paradigm shift…from a state of reaction to a state of readiness.”
The Congressional task force investigating the assassination attempt urged Mr. Rowe to “follow through” on holding employees accountable and to cooperate with its independent investigation.
“Complacency has no place in the Secret Service,” the task force stated.
In response to the critical situation, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill yesterday to elevate protection for presidential candidates to the same level as that of sitting presidents and vice presidents.
The bill now awaits a Senate vote and the signature of President Joe Biden before becoming law. Mr. Rowe confirmed that Donald Trump is now receiving the same level of protection as the president.
The heightened security needs were underscored after a second apparent assassination attempt on Trump occurred at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, last weekend.
“What transpired on Sunday illustrates the tremendous threat environment in which the Secret Service operates,” Mr. Rowe said.
Officials reported that the gunman in Florida did not have a clear shot at the former president and failed to fire before being discovered and arrested.
Trump has attempted to gain political leverage by blaming, without evidence, Biden and Democratic rival Kamala Harris for inciting motivation behind the plots, citing their “rhetoric” about him endangering democracy.
Both President Biden and Kamala Harris have consistently condemned the assassination attempts and any form of political violence, with President Biden urging Congress to allocate more resources for the Secret Service.
