Official announcements from the U.S. Secret Service or Department of Homeland Security

Bipartisan Report: Secret Service Failures Enabled July 13 Trump Assassination Attempt in Pennsylvania

Oct 21, 2024, 12:14 PM

A bipartisan House task force, the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, has released an interim report detailing significant security failures by the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement agencies in the lead-up to the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The report concludes that the attempt was "preventable and should not have happened," citing "stunning" lapses in planning and coordination, including ineffective advance preparations, insecure perimeters, vulnerable lines of sight, poor communication, and unclear chains of command. The attacker, 20-year-old Crooks, managed to climb onto the AGR Building and fired eight shots at President Trump and rally attendees. The Secret Service was unaware that Crooks was armed before he opened fire, and law enforcement missed pivotal moments to engage the gunman. The incident resulted in the death of an American citizen and nearly cost President Trump his life. The report has prompted calls for accountability and improvements in security protocols to prevent future incidents.