The U.S. Secret Service’s security failures during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, have been thoroughly examined in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The report, ordered by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, reveals that the agency received classified intelligence about a threat to Trump’s life 10 days before the event but failed to share the information with key agencies. It also highlights procedural and planning mistakes, including misallocation of resources, lack of training, and pervasive communication failures, which contributed to the near-assassination.
Grassley emphasized that the Secret Service’s failure on July 13, 2024, was the result of years of mismanagement and poor oversight. He noted that the Biden administration had denied Trump’s campaign requests for enhanced security, which further exacerbated the situation. Trump, who was grazed in the right ear during the attack, survived the incident and was later reelected. The Secret Service agents swarmed him, but he famously rose to his feet, raised his fist, and urged the crowd to “Fight, fight, fight.”
The attack resulted in one fatality and two injuries. A 20-year-old local man, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by counter-snipers as he crouched on the roof of a nearby building. Despite the chaos, Trump’s survival became a pivotal moment in the 2024 election. The Secret Service’s response was criticized for its lack of preparedness and coordination.
In the aftermath, the GAO’s nearly year-long investigation has led to major reforms within the Secret Service. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that the agency has already begun implementing the report’s recommendations and is committed to ensuring such failures do not recur. Additionally, six agents were suspended without pay for their roles in the incident, with suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days.
The report also prompted calls for further accountability, with Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., approving a subpoena to the FBI and Justice Department for more information on the attempted assassination. The House of Representatives also released a final report on the incident, which identified significant failures in the planning, execution, and leadership of the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners. The report proposed 37 actionable recommendations to improve security measures moving forward.
Key figures, including acting FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, acknowledged the agency’s failure in the incident. Cheatle resigned from the agency just days after the attack, taking full responsibility for the security lapse. The FBI also announced its federal investigation into the shooting, calling it an assassination attempt and a potential act of domestic terrorism.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the incident, the GAO report serves as a stark reminder of the critical role that effective security planning and inter-agency cooperation play in safeguarding public leaders. The ongoing investigations and reforms underscore the importance of accountability and transparency in ensuring the safety of national figures.