Secret Service ‘Effectively Forced’ Trump Campaign to Cancel Event, According to Disputed Whistleblower Claim
Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri has raised concerns about the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for former President Donald Trump as the presidential election approaches. In a letter to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Hawley referred to information from whistleblowers suggesting that the Secret Service denied the Trump campaign necessary resources and manpower for a rally in Wisconsin, leading to its cancellation. This claim contradicts Rowe’s statements that all candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris, were receiving equal protection from the agency, as Harris had recently held a rally in the same state.
Hawley’s letter emphasized that the alleged denial of security resources for Trump was unusual and suggested a double standard in the Secret Service’s treatment of candidates. He called into question the agency’s capability to protect Trump adequately, especially after a whistleblower alleged that such a failure to secure a major public event was unheard of for a former president. After Hawley’s inquiries, Rowe defended the Secret Service’s actions verbally but declined to provide a formal written response to the allegations and expressed concern about the impact of these claims on the agency.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is questioning whether the Secret Service has its thumb on the scales as the presidential election heads into its final weeks.
In a letter to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Hawley said whistleblower information he has received has indicated that former President Donald Trump had to cancel a proposed event in Wisconsin due to issues with the Secret Service.
In the letter, Hawley noted that Vice President Kamala Harris was able to hold an event in that battleground state.
“A whistleblower tells me the Secret Service DENIED the Trump campaign the resources & manpower for a rally in Wisconsin. That contradicts Rowe, who said Trump, Harris & Biden were all getting the same protection. Harris held a WI rally last week,” Hawley wrote on X.
“I write concerning new whistleblower allegations that the U.S. Secret Service effectively forced the Trump campaign to cancel an upcoming event in Wisconsin. This new information calls into question your recent public statements regarding the level of security your agency is providing to the former president,” the letter said.
🚨🚨 NEW – A whistleblower tells me the Secret Service DENIED the Trump campaign the resources & manpower for a rally in Wisconsin. That contradicts Rowe, who said Trump, Harris & Biden were all getting the same protection. Harris held a WI rally last week pic.twitter.com/wRAKuFRWQV
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 25, 2024
“It also suggests that the Secret Service’s inability to fully protect former President Trump may be affecting the conduct of the presidential campaign,” the letter said.
Hawley cited one specific instance.
“According to a whistleblower with direct knowledge of the exchange, Secret Service recently told the Trump campaign that it did not have sufficient assets to secure a potential campaign rally in Wisconsin for the former president,” Hawley wrote.
“Other whistleblowers with direct knowledge of secret service planning protocols allege that failure to provide protection for a major public event is highly unusual and that a sitting president would never be denied resources in this way,” he continued.
The letter questioned a comment from Rowe that Trump was getting equal protection to that given Harris and President Joe Biden.
“That same night, Secret Service secured a rally for Vice President Harris in Madison, Wisconsin,” Hawley said.
Saying there was an “apparent double standard,” Hawley asked if the Secret Service had ever forced Trump, Biden or Harris to cancel an event.
In a follow-up post, Hawley said Rowe pushed back against the claims.
“I just had an extraordinary conversation with Director Rowe at the Secret Service, who called me personally to dispute a whistleblower allegation – but refuses to respond in writing. Just as he has declined to respond substantively to ANY of the whistleblowers’ allegations,” Hawley later posted on X.
I just had an extraordinary conversation with Director Rowe at the Secret Service, who called me personally to dispute a whistleblower allegation – but refuses to respond in writing. Just as he has declined to respond substantively to ANY of the whistleblowers’ allegations
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 25, 2024
Hawley later expanded upon the post.
“What he said to me is, ’Well, he is going to be able to do a Wisconsin event. It’s just not going to be a big event,’” Hawley said, according to the Washington Times.
“I said, ’Well, so you’re not denying it. You’re quibbling with it and you’re saying, well, kinda,’” Hawley said.
Hawley said Rowe “complained” about the whistleblower allegations, saying, “They’re hurting our agency.”
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