At least five members of the United States Secret Service (USSS) have been placed on administrative leave following the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Fox News has confirmed.
A member of Trump's personal protective team and four members of the Secret Service's Pittsburgh Field Office, including the special agent in charge, have been sidelined for nearly six weeks after the incident.
The news comes as the elite agency investigates the colossal security breach that led to Thomas Matthew Crooks firing several shots from the nearby AGR building.
Additionally, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., revealed Friday that a Secret Service whistleblower came forward to claim that Secret Service headquarters officials encouraged agents in charge of the rally not to request any additional security assets in their formal planning request.
At least five Secret Service members have been placed on administrative leave following the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Fox News has confirmed. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, main, and Iron Clad USA, sidebar).
A bullet grazed Trump's right ear, while firefighter Corey Comperatore was fatally wounded. Rally attendees James Copenhaver and David Dutch were also shot and wounded.
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned less than two weeks after the shooting and after giving her initial testimony about the incident to members of Congress. Several lawmakers have called on the Secret Service to make personnel changes and fire employees in the wake of the deadly incident.
Fox News has also learned that the threat to Trump from Iran was communicated internally within the Secret Service before the Butler, Pennsylvania, event, and the investigation is likely looking into why the Butler event was held, given the threat.
The Secret Service said in a statement that the agency is committed to investigating personnel decisions and actions in connection with the July 13 event.
“The U.S. Secret Service's mission assurance review is progressing and we are examining the processes, procedures and factors that led to this operational failure,” Anthony Guglielmi, USSS chief of communications, said in a statement.
“The United States Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest professional standards, and any identified and substantiated policy violations will be investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility for possible disciplinary action. As this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further.”
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The FBI has previously stated that Crooks gained access to the roof of a building by climbing over heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and pipes. Crooks then traversed several rooftops before finding his shooting position on top of a building about 150 yards from where the former president spoke at his rally.
Text messages sent by locals Law enforcement Those responsible for monitoring the rally flagged Crooks as a suspect to his colleagues at least 90 minutes before he opened fire. Despite this, he was still able to fire at Trump and the crowd.
House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., welcomed the news that action has been taken against some Secret Service members.
“The Secret Service must be held accountable for its historic failures that led to the attempted assassination of President Trump,” Comer said.
“The first step is to hold negligent employees accountable. I look forward to the findings of the task force's investigation. We must ensure that the Secret Service does not fail again.”
Hawley also welcomed the agency's move, saying it should have happened weeks ago.
“We still need real answers about the attempted assassination of President Trump and accountability for all those involved,” Hawley said.
Hawley on Friday also revealed whistleblower claims that Secret Service headquarters officials informally encouraged agents in charge of the Butler rally not to request any additional security assets in their formal planning request, since they would be denied because Trump was a former president and not a sitting president or vice president.
Hawley shared on X a letter he wrote to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe asking for an explanation of who made the call, whether they knew about it, and what security assets were left out of the staffing request for the event.
Hawley writes that the assets included sniper teams and personnel from the Anti-Terrorism Sniper Division (CSD). He writes that the anti-terrorist snipers were ultimately approved, but only a day before the event, and that another whistleblower previously claimed that CSD personnel would have handcuffed the gunman after they spotted him in the parking lot with a rangefinder.
“However, you have repeatedly suggested that no asset protection was denied in the Butler case. You must explain this apparent contradiction immediately,” Hawley writes, in part.
Former President Donald Trump raises his fist as he is rushed off the stage during an assassination attempt on July 13. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Attorney General Merrick Garland, speaking at an unrelated event, said Friday that he could not comment on any specific suspension.
“This was a security breach and there is an independent internal and external investigation underway,” Garland said. “They will bring lessons learned to bear to prevent a breach like this from happening again.”
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Former NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro also told Fox News that there were serious discrepancies in the planning and operation of the rally.
“These discrepancies indicate that this is not so much about mistakes, but about institutional corruption,” Maura said. “And what bothers me is that the executives who have been overseeing and not addressing the problems that the Secret Service clearly has will likely get away with it. And certainly [Homeland Security Secretary] Mayorkas and Cheatle should not be able to ride off into the sunset with their reputations intact.”
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
