A bipartisan Senate committee report revealed key security lapses during a rally where former President Donald Trump was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania. The report cited failures by Secret Service agents to take charge of decision-making, resulting in chaos in preparation and communication. Some of the issues highlighted in the report included a lack of visual barriers, a failure to secure the building from which the shooter took aim, and unclear communication between different agencies involved in security planning.
Key resource requests were denied or not made, with no clear chain of command established for decision-making. The report also highlighted the failure to convey a credible Iranian threat to senior officials, which could have prompted increased security measures. The breakdown in intelligence sharing and lack of clear leadership led to critical security assets not being provided for the rally.
The report also detailed how the sniper team failed to pick up local radio alerts about a potential shooter, impacting their ability to intervene. Calls for changes in Secret Service leadership and procedures were made by Senators Rand Paul and Richard Blumenthal. Blumenthal emphasized the need for fundamental reform in how the Secret Service conducts protective activities to ensure the safety of the president and prevent future security lapses. Former Secret Service officials have also expressed concerns about the accumulation of gross incompetence that puts the president at risk.
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