Secret Service Chief Regrets Security Lapse in Attempted Trump Assassination
The acting director of the U.S. Secret Service expressed deep regret in congressional testimony on Tuesday for a major security breach that led to the July 13 attempted assassination of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
In his prepared testimony for the Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe recounted his visit to the rally site in Butler. He detailed how he accessed the roof of a nearby building, from where 20-year-old Thomas Crooks fired shots with an AR-15-style rifle, wounding Trump’s right ear, killing one attendee, and injuring two others.
Rowe expressed his shame at the oversight, emphasizing his experience in law enforcement and his 25-year tenure with the Secret Service, questioning why the rooftop was not better secured.
Rowe’s acknowledgment of the security failure follows the resignation of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who stepped down under bipartisan pressure after declining to disclose security deficiencies in previous House testimony.
To prevent future incidents, Rowe assured lawmakers that enhanced measures have been implemented, including thorough vetting of event site security plans by multiple experienced supervisors.
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Since the incident, the Secret Service has added six individuals to its protection list, including Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, as part of heightened security measures.
Rowe’s testimony coincides with that of Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI, which is investigating the shooting and plans to interview Trump on Thursday.
The attempted assassination is under multiple investigations by both House and Senate committees, alongside a new bipartisan task force formed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Investigators have yet to determine a clear motive for Crooks, described as a loner with limited social connections.
Attention is focused on the timeline from when Crooks was first noticed by law enforcement to when Secret Service snipers neutralized him after he began shooting.
The FBI reported that Crooks first attracted police attention over an hour before he fired at least eight shots at Trump. A local officer had taken a photo of Crooks and shared it with other officials on site.
Approximately 30 minutes later, SWAT team members observed Crooks using a rangefinder and browsing news websites, according to the FBI.
Secret Service Chief Regrets Security Lapse in Attempted Trump Assassination
