Secret Service Director admits failure in Trump assassination attempt
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Acting US Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe took full responsibility for the agency's failure to prevent the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, calling it a "mission failure."
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US Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe, testifies before a Joint Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing examining the security failures leading to the assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, Tuesday, July 30, 2024 in Washington (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
At a press briefing on Friday, Acting US Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe stated that the agency takes full responsibility for failing to prevent the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 and will seek accountability for its personnel.
"The Secret Service takes full responsibility for the tragic events on July 13. It was a mission failure," Rowe said.
"I am committed to pursuing accountability for the Secret Service’s failure in Butler, Pennsylvania. Let me be clear, if policy violations by Secret Service personnel are identified … those individuals will be held accountable … to our fair and thorough disciplinary process," the official added.
Rowe noted that the US Secret Service will continue cooperating with pending investigations, including by Congress, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, and the independent review directed by President Joe Biden.
Acting Director, Ronald L. Rowe Jr., blames Secret Service failure on "Hot Day" and "Technical Failures."
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"There was a lot of radio traffic on the local net about [Emergency Medical Technicians]."
"It's so apparent to me that in this incident in the final 30 seconds... There… pic.twitter.com/u1aobfcjzw
Read more: Gunman flew drone over Trump rally area before shooting: FBI
On July 13, former President Donald Trump was shot in the right ear and briefly hospitalized after an assassination attempt during his rally in Butler.
The 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks, fatally shot an audience member and wounded two others before being subdued by the Secret Service.
Ten days later, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle took full responsibility for the incident and promptly announced her resignation.
The FBI is still investigating the incident.
