‘A failure on multiple levels’: acting Secret Service director promises changes, accountability

The acting director of the Secret Service told the Senate in his opening statement at a hearing Tuesday that there was a “failure on multiple levels” that led to the assassination attempt against Donald Trump and outlined plans to prevent a similar event.

“The attempted assassination on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a failure on multiple levels,” acting Director Ronald Rowe told a combined hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.

Rowe told the senators, since his elevation to lead the agency after Dirctor Kimberly Cheatle was forced to resign earlier this month, he has identified “gaps in our security” and has worked to adopt “corrective actions.”

The steps include: directing every security plan to be thoroughly reviewed before an event, expanding the use of unmanned aerial surveillance of event sites, and making sure events are staffed with the highest level of security personnel.

Rowe also made clear that based on the preliminary investigation, “neither the Secret Service counter sniper teams nor members of the former president’s security detail had any knowledge that there was a man on the AGR roof with a firearm” and insisted that the Secret Service personnel did not know the shooter – Thomas Crooks – had a firearm until fired several shots at Trump and the crowd.

This testimony is likely to add further confusion to the timeline and call into question how the Secret Service communicates with local partners during events.

Additionally, Rowe promised to pursue accountability internally and externally.

He told the committees that “I’ve heard your calls for accountability, and I take them very seriously,” and said his agency is “reviewing the actions and decision making of Secret Service personnel in the lead-up to and on the day of the attack.”

“If this investigation reveals that Secret Service employees violated agency protocols, those employees will be held accountable to our disciplinary process,” he said.

Rowe also promised to continue to cooperate with any congressional inquiries into the Secret Service.