US Secret Service acting director blames local police for Trump security lapse

The U.S. Secret Service new acting director, Ronald Rowe, expressed deep regret and frustration over a significant security breach that led to the attempted assassination of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on July 13.

Speaking before two Senate committees on Tuesday, Rowe acknowledged his shame over the incident but placed the primary blame on local law enforcement agencies.

During his testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, Rowe recounted his visit to the outdoor rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania, where 20-year-old Thomas Crooks managed to fire shots from a nearby rooftop.

The attack resulted in a graze wound to Trump’s right ear, the death of one rally attendee, and injuries to two others, all inflicted by an AR-15-style rifle.

“What I saw made me ashamed,” Rowe stated solemnly. “As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured.” This unprecedented lapse, marking the first shooting of a U.S. president or major party candidate in over four decades, precipitated the resignation of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle under bipartisan pressure from Congress.

Rowe clarified that the Secret Service had mistakenly assumed local officials would secure the building and its roof, a critical oversight. Republican Senator John Cornyn challenged this delegation of responsibility, questioning why such a crucial task was not directly managed by the Secret Service. “Isn’t that something that Secret Service should have covered, as opposed to delegating it to local law enforcement?” Cornyn asked.

Rowe conceded, “We assumed that the state and locals had it. I can assure you that we’re not going to make that mistake again.”

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal pressed further, asking if the ultimate responsibility lay with the Secret Service. “It stops with us, sir,” Rowe admitted but added, “If they’d just held their post and looked left.”

Rowe’s testimony came amid revelations from a local SWAT team, which told ABC News that they had no prior contact with Secret Service agents at the rally and that a scheduled face-to-face briefing never occurred. Rowe assured lawmakers that steps are already being taken to prevent similar security failures, addressing bipartisan concerns about potential political violence as the November 5 U.S. election approaches.

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, who also testified, provided insights into Crooks’ background, revealing that the shooter had posted violent antisemitic and anti-immigration content online as a teenager. Investigators identified a social media account dating back to 2019-2020, containing over 700 comments that espoused political violence and extreme views.

Another critical failure highlighted was the unnoticed drone flight by Crooks near the rally site, due to a malfunctioning drone detection system affected by local cellular network issues. Questions arose regarding why the Secret Service did not delay the rally or prevent Trump from taking the stage, especially after local police observed Crooks with a rangefinder device shortly before the shooting.

Rowe explained that Crooks was one of several individuals under local law enforcement scrutiny and that the Secret Service was not informed when police saw Crooks on the roof with the rifle just before he opened fire. “They were in the midst of dealing with a very critical situation and they articulated that over the radio, as I understand it. However, it was never relayed over to us,” Rowe said.

Tensions escalated when Republican Senator Josh Hawley demanded immediate accountability, urging Rowe to start expelling agency employees involved. Rowe responded firmly, “I will tell you, senator … that people will be held accountable, and I will do so with integrity and not rush to judgment and let people be unfairly persecuted.”

The hearing highlighted the pressing need for heightened security measures and clear communication protocols as the political climate heats up heading into the 2024 election.