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Six U.S. Secret Service agents have been suspended without pay following the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally last summer, agency officials confirmed.
The disciplinary action comes in response to security failures at the July 13, 2024, rally in Butler, where a gunman opened fire toward the stage, grazing Trump’s ear and killing rallygoer Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter. Two others were injured before the shooter, Thomas Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Deputy Director Matt Quinn told CBS News the agency is “laser focused on fixing the root cause of the problem” and acknowledged the gravity of the failure.
“Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler,” Quinn said. “Butler was an operational failure, and we are focused today on ensuring that it never happens again.”
The agents received penalties ranging from 10 to 42 days of unpaid leave and were reassigned to less sensitive roles upon their return to duty. Quinn said the discipline followed federally mandated procedures.
In the aftermath of the attack, the agency introduced new equipment, including military-grade drones and mobile command centers, to improve coordination with local law enforcement. The changes come amid broader criticism of the agency’s preparedness.
The Butler shooting was followed weeks later by another thwarted attempt on Trump’s life in West Palm Beach, Florida, prompting then-Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign. Several congressional hearings and investigations followed.
In December, a bipartisan House task force released a 180-page report concluding that the Butler incident was “preventable.” Lawmakers cited poor coordination with local authorities and long-standing leadership and training gaps as key contributors to the security lapse.
The Secret Service has not publicly confirmed details of the suspensions beyond Quinn’s remarks.
The news also comes shortly after Ryan Routh, the suspect in a second assassination plot against Trump, requested a new defense team.
“Ryan Routh respectfully requests the Court set a hearing to terminate the representation of his appointed counsel and their office,” his motion said. Routh pleaded not guilty to all charges in October, after prosecutors stated that Routh had admitted to the plot in a letter found during the investigation.