An independent panel investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally has sharply criticized the U.S. Secret Service for communication breakdowns and inadequate security on the day of the attack.
The gunman opened fire at Trump during a July 13 rally in Butler, and the report, released Thursday, highlights failures in securing the venue and managing real-time risks.
The 52-page review not only points to lapses surrounding the rally but identifies broader, systemic issues within the agency. The report notes the Secret Service’s struggles to grasp the unique threats facing Trump and faults a “do more with less” mentality that has pervaded the agency.
The panel recommended a sweeping overhaul of leadership, urging the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, to prioritize its protective mission.
“The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission,” the report’s authors wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another incident like Butler can and will happen again.”
The findings highlight urgent security gaps as Trump remains a high-profile figure in American politics.
More to follow.