Secret Service Lapses in Trump Assassination Attempt

A bipartisan Senate investigation concluded that lapses by the Secret Service during the July 13 assassination attempt on Donald Trump were “foreseeable, preventable, and directly related” to the events of that day. This investigation aligns with the Secret Service’s internal review and findings from the House of Representatives. The probe uncovered multiple failures across various levels, including planning, communication, and resource allocation.

Michigan Senator Gary Peters stated, “The consequences of those failures were dire.” While campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania, a bullet grazed Trump’s ear, resulting in another fatality in the crowd.

The investigation also revealed a lack of command structure among the Secret Service agents responsible for the Republican presidential nominee’s safety. Communications among security officials resembled a “multistep game of telephone.” A local police officer sent an alert about an armed individual on the building’s roof approximately 22 seconds before the shooter, Thomas Crooks, took aim, yet agents admitted that the information was not relayed in time.

The report’s release came just ahead of a bipartisan House panel hearing scheduled for September 26, which is also investigating a second assassination attempt on the former president in Florida on September 15. In light of these events, disagreements have arisen between the two American parties regarding funding for the Secret Service.

Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin stated, “This is a management problem plain and simple.”

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

See Full Bio