Senate hearing outcomes or official reports

Senate Probes Security Lapses in Trump Assassination Attempt at Butler, PA Rally

Jul 30, 2024, 03:06 PM

The Senate Judiciary and Senate Homeland Security Committees held a joint hearing to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate testified, expressing their concerns over the security lapses. Rowe admitted that the Secret Service was unaware of the assailant until shots were fired and that local law enforcement had alerted them to a suspicious individual only 30 minutes prior. He also revealed that the Secret Service counter-sniper team was not informed about the gunman on the roof and did not need authorization to shoot. Rowe committed to taking corrective actions, including adding full air cover at future events. The hearing also highlighted that the Secret Service had limited resources for Trump's security, and there were connectivity issues with the counter-drone capability. The incident resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore and injuries to two civilians.