Secret Service says it works in ‘challenging environments’ in new statement
The U.S. Secret Service responded on Saturday night to a shocking report that high-ranking officials repeatedly denied requests to enhance former President Trump’s security detail. The agency stated that it relies on “state or local partners” to fill gaps when it can’t meet specific security demands.
The report from the Washington Post came a week after Trump was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, while speaking at a rally, just before his 2024 presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was seen by attendees before the incident.
According to the Post, before the July 13 assassination attempt, top Secret Service officials “repeatedly” turned down requests for heightened security measures from Trump’s detail. The source of the report spoke to the media outlet on condition of anonymity.
The report detailed that agents responsible for Trump’s safety had requested additional security resources in the past, including magnetometers, more personnel to screen guests, and extra snipers.
Senior officials reportedly informed the agents that the Secret Service did not have the resources to meet these demands. The Post reviewed multiple requests, though none specifically related to the Butler rally.
In response to the report, the Secret Service released a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, emphasizing the complexity of its mission.
“Every day we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure our protectees are safe and secure across multiple events, travel, and other challenging environments,” the statement read. “We execute a comprehensive and layered strategy to balance personnel, technology, and specialized operational needs.”
The Secret Service also noted that even if a request is denied, the agency still tries to accommodate the protectee’s safety needs.
“In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protected,” the statement added. “This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.”
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi previously refuted the report. “This is false. We added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo,” he wrote on X.
Investigations into the security lapses that led to Trump being shot are currently being conducted by both the FBI and a Congressional committee. Concerns have been raised about possible communication failures between the state, local, and federal agents responsible for Trump’s protection, especially since members of the crowd reportedly saw Crooks on a rooftop and warned officials. Additionally, there has been finger-pointing between different levels of law enforcement present at the scene.
In an interview set to air on Fox News Channel on Monday at 8 p.m. ET, Trump told host Jesse Watters that he was never warned about Crooks, despite the gunman being noticed by others.
“How did somebody get on that roof?” Trump asked Watters. “And why wasn’t he reported, because people saw he was on that roof.”
“When you have Trumpers screaming, the woman in the red shirt, ‘There’s a man on the roof,’ and other people, ‘There’s a man on the roof and he’s got a gun,’…that was quite a bit before I walked on the stage. And I would’ve thought someone would’ve done something about it,” he added.
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