CITIZENS NEWS

Investigations launched into security failures on day Trump was shot

By isabelle // 2024-07-17

While we’d all like to think that Donald Trump’s political enemies don’t hate him enough to have him killed, it is increasingly looking like some people in power aren't going out of their way to protect him from danger. Representative Mike Waltz (R-Florida) is one of the politicians who has been calling out the U.S. government – and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas specifically – for its failures to protect the controversial former president at a time when political rhetoric has become increasingly heated. He wrote on X just hours after an assassin nearly took Trump’s life: “I have very reliable sources telling me there have been repeated requests for stronger secret service protection for President Trump. Denied by Secretary Mayorkas." This is backed by reports that the House Homeland Security Committee plans to investigate reports that Trump was denied a more robust Secret Service protection ahead of the rally. One source told Fox News: "The Committee has seen these reports, as well, and are going to be conducting thorough oversight into what happened both leading up to and in the immediate aftermath of the attempted assassination of President Trump. Obviously, such reports are deeply troubling and demand investigation.” While it’s no secret that the Biden administration is not Trump’s biggest fan, this type of behavior is extremely irresponsible, especially when you consider the fact that it’s not just Trump whose life is on the line at these events. This was demonstrated in brutal fashion at the Butler rally this weekend, when attendee Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer firefighter who dedicated his life to helping other people, died while shielding his family from the sniper’s bullets. Two other spectators were wounded and are in stable condition. Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky) has called on the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheadle, to testify in front of the panel, saying that a formal invitation will be extended soon. Mayorkas, who appeared on Good Morning America today, admitted that “A direct line of sight like that to the former president should not occur. That’s why President Biden directed an independent review of the incident.” He added: "We are going to really study the event independently and make recommendations to the Secret Service and to me, so that we can assure the safety and security of our protectees, which is one of our most vital missions in the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security and across the government."

Serious security lapse placed huge crowd in danger

It is pretty clear, even to those who are not familiar with the specifics of presidential security protocols, that there was a serious lapse here. Anyone who has ever attended a speech by a president or world leader can attest to the conspicuous presence of security, including rooftop security, for several blocks around these events – and those are just the personnel they want you to see. There are also numerous plainclothes officers protecting them. This normally comes after extensive advance preparations that include finding out who has access to all of the nearby buildings and who uses them and when. It’s unfathomable that the roof of a building so close to the stage Trump appeared on wasn’t even secured, much less manned with a law enforcement presence. Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent who heads the bureau’s Pittsburgh field office, said it was “surprising” the gunman could get so close. “The Secret Service really needs to answer that question. They conduct the initial site survey,” he stated. There are also reports that some rally attendees saw the gunman acting suspiciously near the event and even up on the rooftop and tried to flag police to report their concerns. Someone will have to answer for how people without any kind of security training managed to pick up on what the “experts” completely missed, putting Trump and a huge crowd in grave danger. Sources for this article include: MSN.com ABCNews.go.com USAToday.com

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