In a significant development, several Secret Service agents have finally been placed on administrative leave following the near-fatal assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. This comes after weeks of mounting pressure and criticism regarding the agency’s handling of the incident, which resulted in Trump being grazed by a bullet and the death of a retired fire chief.
The attack, carried out by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, exposed glaring security failures within the Secret Service, particularly those related to the agency's Pittsburgh Field Office. These failures have now led to disciplinary actions against the agents stationed there, who were responsible for securing the rally site but failed to prevent Crooks from ascending a nearby building and firing shots at the former president.
BREAKING: Several Secret Service officials, including the head of the Pittsburgh field office, have been placed on leave amid the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trumphttps://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 23, 2024
The fallout from the attack has been severe, with Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service director at the time, resigning from her position following a contentious House Oversight Committee hearing. During the hearing, Cheatle faced bipartisan criticism for her inability to adequately explain how such a breach of security could occur under her watch. Her resignation was seen as an inevitable consequence of the agency's mishandling of the situation.
The decision to place the agents on leave comes after an internal review revealed significant lapses in security protocol. These agents, all from the Pittsburgh Field Office, have been identified as bearing considerable responsibility for the operational failures that allowed Crooks to carry out his attack. Despite these actions, some agents involved in the flawed security plan continue to serve on Trump's protective detail, raising further questions about the agency's decision-making process.
Multiple Secret Service agents placed on leave following the attempted ass*ssin*tion of Trump
I WONDER WHY…
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) August 23, 2024
The incident has also sparked a broader debate about the direction of the Secret Service under Cheatle's leadership, particularly regarding her focus on increasing workforce diversity.
Some conservative voices have argued that these initiatives may have detracted from the agency's core mission of protecting high-profile figures, contributing to the security lapses observed in Butler.
In response to the assassination attempt and the subsequent fallout, the Secret Service has initiated a comprehensive review of its procedures, aiming to address the shortcomings that led to the security failure. Acting Director Ronald Rowe, who succeeded Cheatle, has described the incident as a "failure of imagination" and vowed to implement necessary reforms to prevent a recurrence.
As the investigation continues, the Secret Service faces significant scrutiny from lawmakers and the public alike. The House Oversight Committee, which played a pivotal role in exposing the agency's failures, is expected to continue its investigation into the events leading up to the attempted assassination, with further accountability measures likely to follow.
Nothing good can come from Pittsburgh,the place is a crap hole!