The most revealing part of the Senate report released Wednesday was not the details of the security failures that nearly resulted in the death of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, but the many three-letter federal agencies. is refusing to cooperate with Congress. investigation of the incident.
Led by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee also found that “the failures in planning, communications, security, and resource allocation for the July 13, 2024 Butler rally were foreseeable and avoidable, and that the assassination attempt on that day “It was directly related to the events that led to this.”
The report enumerates a number of findings that highlight the dark reality of what is supposed to be an elite security agency. Here are some of them:
Moments before the shooting, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) counter-snipers saw local law enforcement running toward the AGR building where the gunman was stationed with his gun drawn. But he did not warn Trump's security forces to remove him from the stage. The counter-sniper told investigators that his threat level was “elevated” when he saw officers with guns drawn, but that he had no intention of calling anyone to remove Trump from the podium.
Several USSS agents responsible for planning security for the rally provided contradictory or incomplete information. Some contradicted statements from state and local law enforcement officials. USSS members responsible for planning the rally also evaded responsibility, denying personal responsibility for planning or security failures.
According to the report, local law enforcement expressed concern that they did not have the manpower to cover the AGR building, but the USSS said local residents were responsible for covering the building because it was on the perimeter.
Investigators discovered that there were two separate communication centers, one operated by the USSS and the other operated by local residents. Communications by local residents were recorded, but strangely, communications by the USSS were not.
USSS agents experienced technical problems with their equipment. The USSS personnel responsible for operating the surveillance drones had technical issues and spent hours on the phone with technical support on the day of the rally until 4:33 p.m. fired at Trump). The report said the drone operator had only three months of experience. Several USSS officials also said at the rally that there were technical issues with the radios, adding that such problems are common.
The USSS had received reliable intelligence regarding the threat prior to the event and dispatched counter-snipers to the rally in response. It was the first time a sniper team had been assigned to a guardian other than the president, vice president, or a formally nominated candidate (Trump had not been formally nominated at the time). The USSS lead agent told Senate investigators that Trump's detail asked for a counter-assault team liaison to help coordinate tactical assets before the rally, but that request was denied. USSS site agents and site counterparts told the committee that a countersurveillance force would be helpful, but that former presidents are not typically provided with it.
According to the report, “Major requests to the FBI, DHS, ATF, and USSS remain outstanding. The majority of documents provided by the USSS and DHS are heavily redacted, which may lead to needed reforms. They unnecessarily impede the Commission's ability to carry out its constitutional authority to investigate and obtain the information it needs to identify, including communications relating to the same individuals interviewed by the Commission. Overly burdensome redactions only slowed the committee's ability to conduct interviews and conduct investigations efficiently and effectively.”
Sen. Johnson commented on this to Fox's Mario Bartiromo:
