The assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump – the worst security failure by the US Secret Service in four decades – has pitted the agency against local authorities, as both say the other was responsible for securing the building where the shooter was perched.
The public discrepancy represents a significant departure from a normally close and successful relationship between the Secret Service and local police and could lead to an erosion of trust that will put even more strain on security operations.
Responsible for a long list of protected individuals, as well as the occasional foreign dignitary, the Secret Service manages thousands of trips requiring protection—a huge burden that requires assistance from local authorities.
In an interview with ABC News on Monday (15), Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said local police were inside the building at the time of the shooting and that it was their role to protect the building from about 400 to 500 feet away, but outside the controlled perimeter and with a direct line of sight to the event.
“There were local police in that building – there were local police in the area who were responsible for the outer perimeter of the building,” Cheatle said.
A source familiar with the investigation told CNN that shooters were inside the building. The local sniper team, from the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, was located on the second floor, keeping an eye on the crowd at the rally, the source said.
A source familiar with the investigation told CNN that shooters were inside the building. The local sniper team, from the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, was located on the second floor, keeping an eye on the crowd at the rally, the source said.
A former Secret Service agent took issue with Cheatle placing so much blame on local authorities, telling CNN : “The Service is responsible for everything, not just the inner perimeter. They should make sure that all of that is covered.”
“Officers inside a building — that doesn’t mitigate a vulnerability on high ground,” the former officer said.
A Secret Service spokesman told CNN on Sunday (14) that the agency did not sweep the building where Thomas Matthew Crooks lay face down and fired multiple shots at Trump. Instead, the spokesman said, that would have been the responsibility of local authorities — a routine operational decision — and that there should have been someone assigned to the post.
Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 1,200 Secret Service officers and agents, stressed that state and local authorities are invaluable partners of the Secret Service and that the relationship is built on trust.
“There will be an erosion of that trust caused by the Secret Service’s reckless statements,” Pasco told CNN . “This is a kind of betrayal of the leadership of the Secret Service by the brave men and women who go in there and do extraordinarily excellent professional work every day.”
“Secret Service agents and officers, the men and women who were there were heroes on Saturday,” Pasco said. “They were let down by a management plan.”
The former Secret Service agent told CNN that investigators will need to determine whether there were sufficient assets or personnel authorized by Secret Service leadership, and it will be necessary to determine whether local police failed to maintain the integrity of their area of responsibility.
“None of this changes the fact that given the realities of the ground and line of sight of this event, the perimeter is nowhere near expansive enough and is, in fact, dangerously close from a protective operations perspective,” the source said.
Pasco, however, also objected to Cheatle’s delay in responding to questions and issuing a public statement.
She told ABC News: “The buck stops with me.”
Pasco replied to CNN : “Apparently it took two days for the ball to stop.”
Local officials say the Secret Service was in charge
During a press conference on Saturday (13), where the Secret Service was not present, reporters asked who, besides the Secret Service, was responsible for security at the demonstration.
“Well, the Secret Service always takes the lead on security on something like this, but they work very closely together… I hate to use the word routine, but it’s a pretty routine matter for all of our agencies to work together with the Secret Service,” said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police.
“It really depends on the location, the information that’s out there, the number of resources that are dedicated to it, and we work with them to provide whatever the Secret Service requests. But they are the leaders in that security.”
A Pennsylvania State Police official said all items requested by the Secret Service have been provided.
The video shows local authorities appearing to struggle to keep up with members of the crowd who were shouting that the shooter had climbed onto the roof. In some videos shared on social media, officers appear to be running toward the building as onlookers shout instructions to the officer.
A source told CNN that Butler police also responded to the shooting — even firing a gun at the shooter.
Biden says he feels comfortable with the Secret Service
For his part, US President Joe Biden said he feels safe with the Secret Service and that the agency has his full confidence after the failed assassination attempt on Trump.
“I feel safe with the Secret Service,” Biden told NBC’s Lester Holt on Monday. “What we saw was that the Secret Service responded by risking their lives… They were prepared to give their lives to the president. The question is, should they have seen what happened? Should they have done what they needed to do to prevent it from happening? That’s a question — it’s an open question.”
Biden also highlighted the role of local authorities in helping protect the former president on Saturday.
“A big part of this is local and national law enforcement. They play an important role,” the president said. “I’m also not saying they weren’t competent. I’m just saying it’s a complicated process.”
Other US presidents and presidential candidates have been shot
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
