The U.S. Secret Service is grappling with significant “deep flaws” that require urgent attention, according to a scathing new report following the July 13 shooting incident at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
An independent panel responsible for investigating the shooting released its findings on Thursday, describing the organization as “bureaucratic, complacent, and static.” The report emphasizes the need for an overhaul of Secret Service leadership to prevent future incidents like the assassination attempt.
The panel identified “specific failures and breakdowns” that allowed the attack on the Republican presidential candidate to occur. In the wake of the incident, the Secret Service has acknowledged its shortcomings, leading to the resignation of its director weeks after the event. Acting Director Ronald Rowe stated that the agency would thoroughly review the new report.
Rowe noted improvements in readiness, operational communication, and protective measures for the former president but expressed “reservations” about the report’s recommendations in an internal memo to staff. He voiced concern about the potential negative effects on agency morale, according to CBS News.
The independent report, compiled by state and national law enforcement officials, commended the bravery of agents tasked with protecting the nation’s highest-ranking officials. However, it also pointed out significant leadership and cultural shortcomings within the agency, including a “troubling lack of critical thinking” and a culture that discourages staff from voicing concerns.
The report called for “fundamental reform” within the agency, suggesting the removal of certain top leaders “as soon as possible.” “Without that reform, another incident like Butler can and will happen again,” the panel warned Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service.
In response to the assassination attempt on Trump—where gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight shots, resulting in one fatality and injuring Trump—President Joe Biden ordered a bipartisan review of the agency’s practices.
On Thursday, the panel recommended that all outdoor events be monitored using overhead technology to enhance security measures.
In a separate incident in September, a gunman was apprehended near Trump at the Trump International Golf Course in Palm Beach, Florida, after police noticed the tip of a rifle protruding from the bushes just a few hundred yards from the former president.
This latest scrutiny highlights the critical need for the Secret Service to address its vulnerabilities to ensure the safety of those it is assigned to protect.
Credit: BBC News
