In a shocking revelation, a 94-page report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has uncovered a major security lapse in the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The investigation, which took more than two months to complete, sheds light on how the Secret Service and Homeland Security attempted to stonewall inquiries and avoid accountability for the near-fatal attack.
The report reveals that the Secret Service allowed Trump to continue his rally without increasing security measures, despite being aware of a credible threat four days prior. The lead Secret Service agent, who was responsible for event security, failed to notify her supervisor, the Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) of the Pittsburgh Field Office, about the potential danger to Trump’s life. In her official report, she falsely stated there was “no adverse intelligence” related to Trump’s security at the Butler rally, even though she had received a prior warning.
This breach of protocol nearly cost the 78-year-old Trump his life when Thomas Matthew Crooks, a Democrat with a history of mental health issues, fired upon him. Although the bullet only grazed Trump’s ear, the attack claimed the life of Butler’s former fire department chief, Corey Comperatore, and left two other rallygoers severely injured. If it weren’t for the quick action of a Secret Service counter-sniper, the outcome could have been far worse.
What’s more disturbing is that the lead agent continued to misrepresent the situation. She alleged that the Pittsburgh SAIC had been informed about the credible threat and the deployment of counter-snipers. However, the SAIC firmly denied this, stating that had they been properly notified, they would have moved the rally indoors to enhance security.
The SAIC expressed outrage in a handwritten note, questioning why they had to learn of the threats through television reports. “Why am I hearing that there were threats to the site on TV?” the note read. Further frustration was voiced over the decision to only deploy one part of the Special Operations Division (SOD), instead of the entire unit, to safeguard Trump.
The investigation also revealed that only two Secret Service personnel interviewed by the Committee were aware of the credible threat to Trump prior to the July 13 rally. A breakdown in communication between different branches of the Secret Service left many field agents in the dark, contributing to the security failures that day.
Despite the loss of life and the injuries sustained by Trump and others, the lead agent and 11 other Secret Service officials involved in the security operation have refused to admit any responsibility for the failures documented in the Senate report.
As the political fallout from this botched security operation continues, questions remain about how such critical warnings were mishandled, and whether those responsible will face any consequences. For now, the families of Corey Comperatore and the injured rallygoers are left grappling with the consequences of this preventable tragedy, while Trump, once again, finds himself at the center of a political storm.