Trump Did Not Have Counter-Snipers Until Pennsylvania Rally
In a recent press conference, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Jr. revealed that counter-snipers were not deployed to secure former President Donald Trump at his events until the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Rowe indicated that this marked the first instance where counter-snipers were utilized for Trump’s protection, despite their absence during crucial times, such as the former president’s trial in Manhattan, where his schedule and location were publicly known.
Following a failed assassination attempt during the Butler rally, which resulted in injuries and a fatality among the attendees, Rowe expressed disappointment over the lack of security measures. He acknowledged that the Secret Service had not yet conducted interviews with local law enforcement regarding the incident, but emphasized that responsibility for the security failure lies with the agency. Previous Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle had attributed the security lapses to local police, claiming that the building from which the shooter operated was not secured due to safety concerns about the sloped roof.
Rowe’s comments reflect a broader introspection within the Secret Service as it navigates criticism regarding its protective protocols, which have come under scrutiny especially after such a serious breach of security. The agency’s failure to secure the necessary counter-sniper support prior to the Butler rally has raised questions about its readiness and adherence to safety protocols in protecting public figures.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Jr. told reporters at a Friday press conference that counter-snipers had not been deployed to a Trump event until the infamous rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
“It was the first time Secret Service counter-snipers were deployed to support the former president’s detail,” Rowe said.
“That means when they put Trump on trial in Manhattan,” said Jesse Watters, “every day when he returned from court to Trump tower, there were no Secret Service counter-snipers. The whole world knew Trump’s schedule and location for six weeks in a city with thousands of windows and high rises.”
The @SecretService admitted today that Trump wasn’t given counter-sniper teams at his campaign rallies for the last two years. Why after years of no Secret Service counter-snipers, did they show up in Butler? When he finally was given counter-snipers in Butler, the snipers only… pic.twitter.com/1P6SP2N9jp
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) August 3, 2024
Rowe also told reporters last week the agency has yet to interview local law enforcement despite his disgraced predecessor pinning the blame on the police for security failures which left Trump wounded, two rallygoers injured, and a third one killed.
“We’ll look forward to interviewing them and definitely getting their side of the story,” Rowe promised. “This was a Secret Service failure, and so they should not be blamed. We’re not trying to shift blame to anybody.”
Ex-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said immediately after the failed assassination attempt that local law enforcement was responsible for the building from which the shooter fired, and said the rooftop was left without security because it was “sloped.”
“There’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof,” she said.
“What I saw made me ashamed,” Rowe told senators on Capitol Hill last week without having fired anybody as acting Secret Service chief. “I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured.”
Cheatle resigned shortly after struggling to answer lawmakers’ questions on Capitol Hill. Preliminary findings of an investigation into the shooting by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., found the Secret Service did not even initially plan to send counter-snipers to Trump’s Pennsylvania event, and the Republican’s campaign was repeatedly denied requests for beefed up security. Local law enforcement had also warned Secret Service about the lack of manpower to keep the former president safe at the event in Butler County.
A new poll that came out Thursday found an overwhelming majority of Americans blame the Secret Service for the security failures that jeopardized the 2024 election. According to an Associated Press survey, 7 in 10 Americans believe “the Secret Service bears at least a moderate amount of responsibility for the assassination attempt” with 4 in 10 believing the agency “bears a high level of responsibility.”
The same poll also found 3 in 10 Americans were “extremely or very confident” the Secret Service can keep presidential contenders safe.
Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, a conservative newsletter on culture, health, and wellness. He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected]. Sign up for Tristan’s email newsletter here.
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