Secret service failures exposed in Trump assassination attempt

The U.S. Secret Service missed multiple opportunities to detect, prevent, and disrupt the 2024 assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and was significantly understaffed during that period, according to two watchdog reports released on July 2.

The findings largely reaffirm earlier internal and external investigations into the July 13, 2024 shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was struck in the ear, one spectator was killed, and the gunman was later shot dead by a law enforcement sniper.

The Secret Service acknowledged the criticism and said it has since addressed several of the issues raised.

"The U.S. Secret Service today is a stronger and more capable agency than it was in 2024, thanks in part to significant institutional reforms and investments in technology, personnel, and protective operations," the agency said in a statement.

The incident prompted a leadership overhaul within the agency, followed by disciplinary action against six staff members, who received suspensions ranging from 10 days to six weeks without pay. Additional security measures were also introduced, including the use of bullet-resistant glass at outdoor presidential events.

A follow-up update to Congress reported that 21 of 46 recommendations had been implemented, 16 were in progress, and nine remained under congressional review.

The latest inspector general report outlined several failures by the Secret Service during the incident, including its inability to detect a drone used by the attacker, Thomas Crooks, due to an under-trained operator and equipment malfunction.

It also said agents were not warned that Crooks had a rangefinder, a long gun, or had accessed the roof of the American Glass Research International complex, partly because no joint communications room had been established with local authorities.

Further failures included not securing areas outside the event perimeter despite warnings from Pennsylvania State Police, and not blocking a known line of sight from the American Glass Research International complex toward the stage.

"The Secret Service’s overall lack of policy and processes coupled with limited intelligence sharing and poor collaboration and communication with protectee staff and state and local law enforcement set the conditions that led to missing opportunities to prevent and detect the attempted assassination," the report said.

A separate report found the agency was understaffed by an average of 21.4% in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, relying heavily on overtime and external support to meet operational demands. Agents reportedly logged 1.2 million overtime hours, with extended shifts contributing to burnout and attrition.

The Secret Service said it has since prioritised workforce retention and streamlined recruitment, reducing the hiring timeline to 326 days for special agents and 256 days for police officers.

"The Secret Service has also streamlined our hiring processes by reducing the old, bureaucratic process, allowing us to bring the best candidates on board quicker," the statement said.

By Sabina Mammadli