Inside the Secret Service Scandal: Agents Placed on Leave After Trump Rally Attack

Six weeks and two Secret Service Directors after a shocking assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, several Secret Service agents have been placed on administrative leave as part of an ongoing investigation into significant security lapses. The attempted assassination, which occurred on July 13, 2024, has sparked intense scrutiny of the protective measures surrounding the former president, raising questions about the agency’s effectiveness with his safety.

Details of the Incident

During the rally, a gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, wounding Trump in the ear, seriously injuring two supporters, and tragically killing volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore. Despite the immediate response from Secret Service agents and local law enforcement, the breach has led to significant concern within the agency about how such an attack could occur under their watch. It brings the collective American memory back to that November day in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was shot in the head and killed by another lone gunman shooting from an elevated perch near the president. After that fateful day, the Secret Service vowed, “never again”. 

Time, experience, and maturity, however, have taught us never to say never again. Platitudes are insufficient; the Secret Service must treat each public appearance with 100% vigilance. The leader of the free world deserves nothing less.

Investigation and Administrative Leave

Following the assassination attempt, the Secret Service initiated an internal investigation to identify any shortcomings in their protocols. “Shortcomings” is way too soft a word for what happened. I’ll speak plainly, they fucked up. They fucked up and got someone killed, and that can never, ever happen again. Only by the grace of God did President Trump survive, and for what unforeseen reason? Only time will tell. 

As part of the ongoing investigation, at least five agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office, which was responsible for coordinating the security at the rally, have been placed on leave. While this move does not indicate guilt, it allows the agency to conduct a thorough and impartial review of the events leading up to the attack. It’s a start, and it’s long overdue. 

Reports from Fox News tell us that among those placed on leave are one member of the former president’s personal protective team and four agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office of the Secret Service. One of the Pittsburgh agents was the special agent in charge of that office. Facts are beginning to leak out. According to republican Senator Josh Hawley, a whistle-blower intimately familiar with the matter has stated leaders in the Secret Service headquarters informed agents planning the rally that they should not request additional security assets.

Reports suggest that these agents are cooperating fully with the investigation, which is focusing on several areas, including possible communication breakdowns, mismanagement of technology, and the adequacy of threat assessments. Some sources within the Secret Service have pointed to leadership decisions prior to the event that may have compromised the effectiveness of the protective detail, setting them up for failure.

What We Knew and When We Knew It

In early August, acting Secret Security Director Ronald Rowe told CBS News that the Butler event where Trump was shot was the first time this year that Secret Service counter snipers were deployed to protect the president. He also informed the press that the counter-sniper team had no radio communications with local law enforcement. Their comms consisted of text messaging using their telephones. I’ll take a second here and note that the annual budget of the US Secret Service is over $3 billion dollars. Surely, there’s money in there somewhere for proper communications equipment.

The agents made use of their texting abilities with local law enforcement. At 5:45 PM, 26 minutes before Trump was shot, Butler Country law enforcement sent two photos of Crooks to Secret Service Snipers. At this point, they claim they did not know Crooks had a firearm, but if they were that concerned, why did the Secret Service allow Mr. Trump to take the stage before the threat was cleared? It gets worse; Crooks was identified as a “suspicious individual” 75 minutes before he fired his weapon.

How does Rowe intend to fix the situation? This is what he had to say:

“What I’ve directed now is that everybody should be using the radio net. And if we don’t have the ability to pipe in or leverage that counterpart system, that’s one of the things that we’re looking at now.”

Feel free to take a second right now and facepalm yourself like I’m going. The Secret Service is just now realizing that maybe it’s a good idea if everyone is on the radio net. Let that sink in for a minute. To anyone who has been even remotely involved with any kind of military operation, this statement sounds absolutely ridiculous.  Good communication is vital to mission success. Everyone knows this, or at least they should.

Dig a little deeper, and we find out that there were two command posts on site that day in Butler. This is analogous to a Tactical Operations Center (TOC) in the armed forces, a place where I have spent countless hours. The TOC is the nerve center for planning, coordinating, and executing missions. We had advanced communications and surveillance equipment, allowing us to maintain real-time situational awareness. Amazingly, the Secret Service did not have this, in Butler, they had what they call a “Secret Service security room” and a separate and not equal command post staffed with local law enforcement. There was one PA State Police officer in the Secret Service security room and no Secret Service representation in the local law enforcement command post.

What did Row say about this setup? He called it “unique.” Unique isn’t necessarily good. Clear plastic jeans are unique, but I sure as hell don’t think they are a good idea.

Mr. Rowe also said it would have probably been a good idea to have had “eyes on” the roof that Crooks shot from. Simple drones could have provided agents with a comprehensive top-down view of the whole venue. Without going too far into the science fiction aspect of what is capable today and without tipping our hand regarding OPSEC (operational security), government-owned satellites, properly monitored, could have kept watch on the site and relayed info in real-time to those empowered to act on it.

Broader Implications

The ramifications of this investigation are far-reaching. The agency’s credibility is on the line, and the outcome could lead to significant changes in how the Secret Service operates, particularly in the high-stakes environment of presidential protection. Former agents are also growing concerned about the direction in which the agency is heading, with some expressing frustration at what they perceive as a decline in standards and preparedness.

In the meantime, the Secret Service continues to provide protection for former President Trump, with other agents stepping in to cover the duties of those placed on leave. However, the incident has undoubtedly shaken the agency, and the public will be watching closely as the investigation progresses.

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen what long-term impacts this event will have on the Secret Service and its mission to protect the nation’s leaders.

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Disclaimer: SOFREP utilizes AI for image generation and article research. Occasionally, it’s like handing a chimpanzee the keys to your liquor cabinet. It’s not always perfect and if a mistake is made, we own up to it full stop. In a world where information comes at us in tidal waves, it is an important tool that helps us sift through the brass for live rounds.