Senate report finds secret service could have prevented assassination attempt on Trump

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A report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released on Wednesday, concluded that the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, could have been prevented. The report identifies several failures by the United States Secret Service (USSS) that contributed to the incident, including issues with planning, communication, and technical challenges.

According to the report, the Secret Service had prior knowledge of increased threats against Trump, which led to the decision to deploy a sniper at the event for the first time. However, the agents on the ground were not fully aware of these threats, due in part to a lack of coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The report noted that this gap in communication has not been fully resolved.

The committee also highlighted failures in communication and intelligence sharing among different law enforcement agencies, which affected security measures at the rally. One key issue involved the failure to secure the rooftop where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, took his position.