The attempted assassination of my friend, President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania last week was a stain on the soul of our great nation. It should never have happened.
I am glad to see U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Director Kimberly Cheatle resign following her unsatisfactory House Oversight hearing this week. There is no excuse for the failures that occurred on that fateful day, and as the head of the USSS, the buck ultimately stops with Director Cheatle. However, many questions remain, and her resignation is only the first step toward delivering truth and accountability for the American people.
In the days that have followed this attack, the biggest takeaway for most is the utter shock and disbelief that President Trump was allowed out of his vehicle, let alone on stage at the rally given some of the details we know now.
When doing advance work, there is no scenario in which a protective organization would expose a principal if the perimeter was not secure. In fact, securing a site like the field in Butler, PA usually involves three perimeter rings of security. First, local law enforcement is responsible for the outer perimeter, then, the inside perimeter is often supported by technical groups – including SWAT, or National Guard, and finally, the innermost circle closest to the president is covered by the Secret Service. Even with the three standard levels of perimeter security, there should always be a contingency plan.
We know from reports that the Secret Service identified the shooter at 5:51pm ET as person of interest, and he was spotted with a backpack and a rangefinder. That means that for 19 minutes before the shooting took place, and 9 minutes before President Trump took the stage, Secret Service was actively looking for the suspect. Yet, no contact was made.
12 days later, Congress remains just as baffled as the American people. How did a professional organization like the Secret Service allow a failure point like this occur? Why did security allow President Trump to take the stage? Why wasn’t a building 150 yards away with a direct line of sight covered? Why were President Trump’s requests for more protection turned down?
As the American people ask these questions, I urge the Senate majority to hold a timely hearing on this issue while we await FBI and independent investigations. Congress must get to the bottom of this, and most importantly, ensure a disaster of this magnitude never happens again.
This epic security failure not only nearly took the life of our 45th President, but it has forever changed the lives of numerous American families. My heart goes out to the family of Corey Comperatore, the man who lost his life in this horrific attack. Corey was a husband, father, and faithful believer. His sacrifice for those he loved will not be forgotten. We will continue to hold his wife and two daughters in our prayers, and we will continue to pray for healing over the two additional victims who were wounded.
President Trump was right to praise the Secret Service agents on stage for their quick reaction and professionalism following the shooting. But the fact is, every one of these political rallies has an agent-in-charge who is responsible for the security of the entire event. There must have been systemic issues for the Secret Service not to have someone capable of identifying a serious threat and securing the area. Senate Republicans intend to get to the bottom of it.
Moving forward, U.S. Secret Service must be transparent about the security failures that led to this catastrophe and conduct a strict review of protocol to prevent a future tragedy like this from happening again. USSS Director Cheatle’s resignation is a start, but it’s not nearly enough.
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