Secret Service Agents Put On Leave Following Attempt On Trump’s Life During Butler Rally
Several U.S. Secret Service (SS) agents have been placed on administrative leave following the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, managed to shoot Trump in the ear, kill a firefighter, and wound two others before being apprehended. The incident has prompted serious questions about the security failures that allowed Crooks to get within range of the former president.
According to reports from RealClearPolitics, multiple agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office, who were involved in securing the event, have been disciplined. However, members of Trump’s permanent protective detail remain on duty despite their involvement in the security planning. This disparity in accountability has caused unrest within the agency, with insiders expressing concern that blame is being unfairly concentrated on local agents while higher-ranking officials in Washington face no consequences.
Critics within the agency point to Acting Director Ron Rowe, who took over after Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned following the incident. Cheatle had already faced intense scrutiny for refusing Trump’s repeated requests for additional protection, reportedly due to budget constraints and staffing issues. During testimony before Congress, Cheatle’s explanation that a countersniper team was not deployed on the roof due to its steepness was widely ridiculed, leading to her resignation.
The investigation has highlighted deeper problems within the agency, including decisions to cut security resources despite a known threat against Trump. Sources indicate that mid-level managers in Washington routinely downsize protection requests to save costs, even during high-risk events like the Butler rally.
As the Secret Service continues its internal review, the fallout from this security lapse is far from over, with potential long-term implications for how the agency handles high-profile protection in the future.
