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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) released a new whistleblower report on Monday documenting the “catastrophic failure” of the Secret Service surrounding the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in July.
The 21-page report added details concerning known problems and revealed new concerns related to the events in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Following the latest assassination attempt on @realDonaldTrump, I’m releasing a comprehensive Whistleblower Report on the multiple failures of Secret Service & DHS – including new allegations & numerous unanswered questions due to USSS stonewalling,” Hawley wrote on X.
Hawley’s report introduced three new findings. First, “The lead agent responsible for the entire Butler visit, including the rally, failed a key examination during their federal law enforcement training to become a Secret Service agent.”
In addition, “Secret Service intelligence units—teams of Secret Service agents paired with state and local law enforcement to handle reports of suspicious persons—were absent from the Butler rally.
Another concern related to the hospital where Trump was treated following the shooting.
“The hospital site where former President Trump received treatment after the shooting was poorly secured, and the hospital site agent could not answer basic questions about site security,” the report stated.
The new whistleblower claims add to six previous concerns also documented in the report. Among them include, “The Secret Service’s Counter Surveillance Division, which performs threat assessments of event sites, did not perform a typical evaluation of the Butler site and was not present on the day of the rally.”
Hawley’s report also documented that the Secret Service declined offers to use drone technology on the day of the Butler event and denied additional resources.
“Secret Service personnel declined multiple offers from a local law enforcement partner to deploy drone technology, despite the fact that the would-be assassin used a drone to survey the rally site mere hours before the attempted assassination,” the report read.
“The Secret Service’s Office of Protective Operations-Manpower told agents in charge of security for the Butler rally not to request additional security resources because they would be denied,” it continued.
In addition, Hawley showed that law enforcement personnel abandoned the rooftop of American Glass Research Building 6, the roof from which Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump, due to hot weather.
The Missouri senator also documented, “The Secret Service’s lead site agent on July 13—the agent with specific responsibility for the security of the rally site, including line-of-sight concerns—was known to be incompetent. That incompetence led to the placement of items like flags around the Butler stage and catwalk, impairing visibility.”
