A devastating report from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has revealed that the US Secret Service missed several opportunities to prevent an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The report, released this week, details how local law enforcement notified the Secret Service of a 'suspicious person' on a rooftop at 6:09 pm on July 13, just two minutes before shots were fired at 6:11 pm. Trump sustained an ear injury, one spectator was killed, and two others were critically wounded.
Communication Failures and Missed Warnings
The OIG report, based on 92 interviews and over 70,000 documents, highlighted systemic failures within the Secret Service. It found that officials received only five phone calls and three text messages about the suspicious person, and missed 102 radio transmissions from local law enforcement. 'The limited communication regarding the suspicious person did not create a sense of urgency for Secret Service members to report this information to President Trump's protective detail,' the report concluded.
Technical and Operational Shortcomings
The investigation also uncovered that an under-trained drone operator and a broken ethernet cable prevented the agency from detecting a drone used by the attacker, Thomas Crooks, to map out his assault. Additionally, Trump's campaign staff blocked the Secret Service's attempt to park trucks that would have obstructed the assassin's line of sight, arguing they would be 'too close to the president's press shot.'
Aftermath and Response
Crooks was shot and killed by a Counter Sniper Team moments after opening fire. The attack marked the first attempt on a presidential candidate's life since the 1981 shooting of Ronald Reagan. The chaos began just six minutes into Trump's rally, when he suddenly stopped speaking, clutched his face, and dropped to the ground as loud bangs rang out. Dramatic footage showed Secret Service agents surrounding the then-80-year-old as blood streamed from his ear. In a now-iconic moment, Trump raised his fist and shouted 'fight' with the American flag behind him.
The Express has contacted the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the report's findings.
