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The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has issued a damning report focused on the Secret Service’s failures to protect former President Trump during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
What’s the deal: The new report, spearheaded by Chair Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ranking Member Rand Paul (R-KY), revealed significant security failures by the Secret Service during former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to the report, these failures were not only predictable but also preventable. The report also voiced strong concerns about the lack of transparency and cooperation from federal agencies, particularly due to the incomplete information and extensive redactions in documents provided by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security. The committee said these redactions hindered the committee’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation.
Takeaways:
Failure in communication: The report reveals a crucial breakdown in communication and coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies played a significant role in the security failures during Trump’s rally in Butler. This lapse in communication led to missed chances to prevent the shooting, as vital information about the assassin was not properly shared or acted upon.
Failure to secure perimeter: The report revealed a major failure by the Secret Service to secure critical areas during former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on the American Glass Research building. Despite being aware of the threat posed by the building’s proximity to the event, the Secret Service did not take sufficient measures to secure it. This oversight allowed the assassin to position himself on the roof and open fire.
Denial of additional resources: The report revealed the Secret Service’s refusal to allocate critical resources severely compromised security at former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Specifically, denying requests for additional counter-unmanned aircraft systems and drones, which could have been crucial in detecting the assassin, was highlighted as a significant failure.
Secret Service responds: In a statement, Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, “Many of the insights gained from the Senate report align with the findings from our mission assurance review and are essential to ensuring that what happened on July 13 never happens again. The U.S. Secret Service has implemented changes to our protective operations including elevating the protective posture of our protectees and bolstering our protective details as appropriate in order to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for those we protect.”
