A government report has revealed critical lapses by the U.S. Secret Service in the failed assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in July 2024.
The Department of Government Accountability (GAO) released the findings Saturday, outlining major errors that led to the shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The report, commissioned by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), revealed that the Secret Service received classified intelligence about a possible threat to Trump ten days prior to the rally.
That intelligence was never shared with other agencies or local authorities involved in securing the event.
GAO investigators cited widespread failures in planning and operations, including poor communication, inadequate training, and misallocation of resources. These breakdowns created significant vulnerabilities in the protective operation around the President.
Grassley said “a series of bad decisions and bureaucratic handicaps” culminated in one of the most shocking security breaches in modern political history.
He also criticized the Biden administration for denying repeated requests for enhanced protection of President Trump in the weeks leading up to the event, as Trending Politics reported.
Despite those denials, the Trump campaign sought additional resources before the rally. Instead, security assets were redirected to cover First Lady Jill Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, the report said.
The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from a nearby rooftop. A bullet grazed President Trump’s ear, narrowly missing his head by mere millimeters as he turned to look at a chart. Retired firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed, and two others in the crowd were critically injured.
According to the report, senior Secret Service officials had been briefed on a classified threat ten days before the rally. Sen. Grassley noted they had the authority to brief subordinates and outside agencies, but failed to do so.
That critical information was never passed along to President Trump’s protective detail or local law enforcement. GAO interviews with local officials confirmed they had requested increased support but received no follow-up. Body camera footage later verified those requests had been made.
The GAO also found that the site agent assigned to identify vulnerabilities was inexperienced. The Butler rally marked her first time leading security for a large outdoor event, and she failed to implement key precautions.
At the time of the incident, there was no official Secret Service policy requiring that known threats be communicated to a protectee’s staff. One Trump staffer had requested that farm equipment not be placed to block lines of sight to avoid obstructing photos. Unaware of the active threat, the advance team complied.
The GAO determined that this decision allowed the shooter a clear shot he otherwise may not have had. The equipment, if positioned, could have blocked the line of fire.
Additional protection in the form of counter-unmanned aerial surveillance (cUAS) systems was also requested for the event. That request was denied, with those assets instead allocated for upcoming political conventions.
Despite internal inconsistencies, the Secret Service approved the use of counter-sniper teams just before the event. GAO officials said this was an unusual move, but the snipers were ultimately responsible for taking down Crooks during the attack.
This report follows a 2024 investigation by the House Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Senate Homeland Security Committee. That report similarly found widespread mismanagement and poor coordination.
The GAO concluded that the attack on Trump was “preventable,” citing insufficient planning, failure to coordinate with local authorities, and overall breakdowns in the Secret Service’s protective mission.
The post Shocking Report Details Secret Service Security Lapses in Trump Assassination Attempt appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Anthony Gonzalez
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