The United States Secret Service (USSS) has disclosed a series of security breaches that occurred prior to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Pennsylvania. A recently released report highlights mistakes made by both local and federal law enforcement, which led to missed opportunities to apprehend the assailant who shot and injured Trump in the ear.
The five-page document points out that poor communication with local police hindered the Secret Service’s operations before the attack. "It is crucial that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures on July 13 and use the lessons learned to ensure such a mission does not fail again," stated acting USSS Director Ronald Rowe Jr. in a public statement.
Security Breaches and Communication Failures
According to the Associated Press, the report recounts that Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old, was able to reach a rooftop with a firearm where no security was present. From there, he fired shots at Trump, who was less than 150 yards away, before being neutralized by a USSS sniper.
The document makes it clear that the Secret Service was aware of the security risks associated with the rally location even before the incident. Among the communication issues identified, it was noted that some local police officers were unaware of the existence of two communication centers at the venue, resulting in the USSS not receiving their radio transmissions. Additionally, critical information was being shared outside the USSS radio frequencies.
Impact of Poor Communication on Response
While agents were searching for the shooter prior to the gunfire, vital details were being shared "via mobile/cellular devices in a staggered or fragmented manner," rather than through the Secret Service’s dedicated network. This fragmented communication significantly hampered the response efforts.
Hours after the shooting, Donald Trump attributed his survival to divine intervention. "Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as only God prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will not fear but stand firm in our faith and defiance against evil," he posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.