The Secret Service has admitted to denying some requests by Donald Trump’s campaign for increased security at his events before the recent assassination attempt on him at a rally. Initially, the agency had denied rejecting such requests but acknowledged on Saturday, a week after the attack, that it had indeed turned back some security requests.
This reversal is expected to be a key focus of a congressional hearing on Monday, where Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is set to testify before lawmakers who have expressed anger over the security lapses that allowed a 20-year-old gunman to access the roof of a nearby building at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and open fire.
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Trump was wounded in the right ear, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were injured. The Secret Service killed the shooter.
“The Secret Service has a vast, dynamic, and intricate mission. Every day we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure our protectees are safe and secure across multiple events, travel, and other challenging environments,” said Anthony Guglielmi, the agency’s chief spokesperson, in a statement released late Saturday to The Washington Post. The newspaper was the first to report on the agency’s reversal, based on detailed questions submitted to the agency.
“We execute a comprehensive and layered strategy to balance personnel, technology, and specialized operational needs,” Guglielmi added. He mentioned that in some cases where specialized Secret Service units were unavailable, the agency relied on state and local law enforcement departments.
“In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee,” Guglielmi said. “This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.”
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After the assassination attempt, as reports circulated that the agency had denied the Trump campaign’s requests, Guglielmi initially issued a denial, calling the assertion “absolutely false.” He claimed that the agency had actually added protective resources, technology, and capabilities in response to the increased campaign travel.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas labeled the incident a “failure,” and several lawmakers have called for Cheatle to resign or be fired. Despite this, Cheatle has no intention of stepping down and continues to have the support of Democratic President Joe Biden and Mayorkas.
The agency’s admission of denying some security requests has sparked fresh condemnation. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the acknowledgment “is just beyond the pale.” He added, “She’s got a lot to answer for.” Johnson mentioned that lawmakers would release details about a bipartisan congressional task force to investigate the Secret Service.
Eric Trump, the former president’s son, demanded Cheatle’s resignation in “absolute disgrace.” He said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” “The fact that she is still in her job is beyond.”
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Biden, who is campaigning to deny Trump a second term, has ordered an independent investigation. The Homeland Security Department and a congressional committee are also investigating.
Trump claims he received no indication that law enforcement had identified a suspicious person when he took the stage in Pennsylvania. Some rallygoers reported seeing the gunman on the roof before Trump walked out and had alerted authorities. In an interview set to air Monday with Fox News host Jesse Waters, Trump said, “No, nobody mentioned it, nobody said there was a problem” before he took the stage. “They could’ve said, ‘Let’s wait for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 5 minutes, something.’ Nobody said. I think that was a mistake.”
Trump also questioned how the gunman accessed the roof and why he wasn’t reported. “How did somebody get on that roof? And why wasn’t he reported? Because people saw that he was on the roof,” Trump said. “So you would’ve thought someone would’ve done something about it.”
Local law enforcement officers had seen the man, deemed him suspicious enough to circulate his photo, and witnesses reported seeing him scaling the building.
Trump’s campaign and the White House did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
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