Secret Service Director Faces House Panel Over Two Trump Assassination Attempts

Dec 5, 2024, 03:45 PM

The acting director of the U.S. Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, testified before a bipartisan House task force on December 5, 2024, regarding two assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump. The hearing focused on the Secret Service's failures during the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman shot at Trump, grazing his ear, killing one rallygoer, and injuring two others. Rowe acknowledged the agency's 'abject failure' to secure the rally site and protect Trump, stating that the incident did not meet the expectations of the American public, Congress, and their protectees. He promised accountability for the involved Secret Service members, revealing that an internal review identified failures by multiple employees warranting disciplinary action. The hearing also saw heated exchanges, particularly between Rowe and GOP Rep. Pat Fallon, over the use of 9/11 for political purposes, highlighting the contentious atmosphere surrounding the investigation.