One year after Trump attack, Senate report criticizes secret service failures

Report blames agents for security failures in the rally where Trump was shot in the ear. Six agents were suspended, but committee charges more severe punishments. Remember: Trump’s rally is interrupted after alleged shooting sounds, in Pennsylvania a Senate report of the United States released on Sunday (13) concluded that a flaw “cascade” allowed a shooter to open fire against Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year. The document harshly criticizes the conduct of the secret service, highlighting the lack of immediate response to attack and serious failures in the agency’s internal discipline. Released exactly one year after the attack on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, the report states that Trump was brushed by a bullet fired by Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20. The Committee accused the secret service of systemic negligence and communication fails to plan and the security of the event. “This was not a single mistake. It was a waterfall of avoidable failures that almost cost President Trump’s life,” said the Senate’s internal security committee and government affairs. The secret service is responsible for protecting presidents and former US presidents and their families, as well as foreign leaders visiting the country and other high-ranking authorities. During the shooting, a rally participant was killed and two others were injured. The shooter was shot dead by secret service agents shortly after the attack. “This was not a single lapse of judgment. It was a complete collapse of security at all levels – fueled by bureaucratic indifference, lack of clear protocols and a shocking refusal to act in the face of direct threats,” Senator Rand Paul, Republican Senator of Kentucky and chairman of the committee, said in a statement. The then director of the secret service, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned ten days after the attack under intense pressure. The agency reported that six agents on duty during the attack were suspended for periods ranging from 10 to 42 days. The committee, however, considers the measures insufficient. According to the report, more than six employees should have been held responsible and two of those punished received softer sanctions than recommended. No agent was fired. The current director of the secret service, Sean Curran, said in a statement that the agency received the report and will continue to cooperate with the Senate. “After the events of July 13, the secret service seriously analyzed our operations and implemented substantial reforms to deal with the failures that occurred that day,” Curran said.

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