Photo: Alamy
Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has relentlessly pursued accountability from the Secret Service since the first attempted assassination of President Donald Trump on July 13.
Hawley is on the case again after a whistleblower came forward alleging that Trump’s campaign was forced to cancel an event in Wisconsin after the agency denied additional protection.
In a post on X, Hawley wrote, “NEW – A whistleblower tells me the Secret Service DENIED the Trump campaign the resources & manpower for a rally in Wisconsin. That contradicts Rowe, who said Trump, Harris & Biden were all getting the same protection. Harris held a WI rally last week.”
He attached a photo of his September 24 letter to Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe with the details of the whistleblower’s account.
Hawley wrote, “I write concerning new whistleblower allegations that the U.S. Secret Service effectively forced the Trump campaign to cancel an upcoming event in Wisconsin. This new information calls into question your recent public statements regarding the level of security your agency is providing to the former president. It also suggests that the Secret Service’s inability to fully protect former President Trump may be affecting the conduct of the presidential campaign.”
Hawley recalled the Sept. 20 Secret Service press briefing during which Rowe announced that Trump was receiving “the highest level of Secret Service protection,” which should be equivalent to Biden’s protection.
Hawley noted that Harris held a rally the same night as Trump’s scheduled event and was given a full protective detail.
Hawley continued, writing, “Yet according to a whistleblower with direct knowledge of the exchange, Secret Service recently told the Trump campaign that it did not have sufficient assets to secure a potential campaign rally in Wisconsin for the former president.”
Hawley also wrote that additional whistleblowers pointed out that it was “highly unusual” for the Secret Service to fail to “provide protection for a major public event.”
Hawley demanded answers to two questions from Rowe:
- Did the Secret Service ever tell former President Trump, his campaign, or any related business entities that the agency could not secure a rally event in Wisconsin?
- Has the Secret Service ever told President Biden or Vice President Harris that the agency could not secure a campaign event of their choosing?
During a Tuesday evening interview, Hawley discussed the lack of transparency from the Secret Service.
In one segment of the interview, he discussed how Rowe’s recent comments contradicted the whistleblower’s allegations. He told Fox News’ Jesse Waters, “They’re not telling us the whole truth.”
In another portion of the interview, Hawley demanded accountability from the Secret Service and told Waters, “Until it happens, Jesse, the president is not safe, President Trump. I don’t know how anybody who goes to the rallies could be safe. And all we’re getting so far, let me just emphasize, is stonewalling.”
