A bipartisan Senate report released Wednesday criticizes the US Secret Service for many critical failings that resulted in the near-fatal assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania, this summer. The bipartisan investigation claims that security knew the attacker was on the roof minutes before Trump was shot.
Meanwhile, a bill to boost Secret Service protection for former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature. The new Senate report sets out a litany of the Secret Service’s failures, including failure to delegate responsibilities to agents and officers, failure to keep critical facilities clear, failure to collaborate with local law enforcement, who were assisting with security, and more. The investigation details several shortcomings, including the Secret Service’s failure to respond appropriately when the would-be assassin was flagged as a questionable person more than an hour before Trump took the stage.
A shocking paragraph from the report highlights the magnitude of some of the errors:
“Approximately two minutes before shots were fired, the USSS Security Room, located on the rally grounds, was told that there was an individual on the roof of the AGR building,” according to the report. “Shortly before shots were fired, a USSS counter sniper observed local officers running towards the AGR building with guns drawn.”
Critics have criticized the agency for its poor event preparation, delayed and sloppy response, and refusal to reveal details publicly following the occurrence. The former head of the Secret Service resigned following a catastrophic Congressional hearing in which members from both parties chastised her. According to the complaint, an unskilled agent struggled to get the drone to work and spent hours calling a tech support hotline. According to the report, the agents also experienced radio issues, which is not uncommon.
“From planning missteps to the siloed and flawed communication to the lack of efficient collaboration between law enforcement, to the breakdowns in technology, the Secret Service’s failures that allowed an assassination attempt on former President Trump at his July 13 rally were shocking, unacceptable, and preventable – and they led to tragic consequences,” said Senator Gary Peters, D-Mich., the chairman. Lawmakers advocated for accountability and continuing oversight.
“Our initial findings clearly show a series of multiple failures of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and an inexcusable dereliction of duty,” said Ranking Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky.
“Not only did USSS fail to ensure the AGR roof was adequately covered, they were also aware of a wary individual with a rangefinder for a minimum of 27 minutes and did not postpone actions or remove former President Trump from the stage, even after being informed that the unsure individual was on the roof of the AGR building.” Paul claimed that federal law enforcement authorities “obstructed” the congressional investigation.
“What happened on July 13 was an accumulation of errors that produced a perfect storm of stunning failure,” said Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut. “It was a tragedy and completely preventable from the outset.”
The bill to boost Trump’s protection comes after the former president escaped his second assassination attempt this year, and it would provide presidential-level Secret Service protection to all presidential and vice presidential candidates. On Tuesday evening, the US Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the bill. It has already gone through the House. As The Center Square has reported, President Joe Biden recently told reporters that the Secret Service “needs more help.”
