Acting Secret Service Director: First Assassination Attempt a ‘Failure’ of USSS
The first assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, which occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, was a “failure” of the United States Secret Service (USSS), Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe Jr. said at a press conference on Friday.
“In today’s hyperdynamic threat environment, the mission of the Secret Service is clear. We cannot afford to fail,” Rowe said during the press conference, explaining that their own mission assurance review is “nearing its completion.”
“As I’ve said, this was a failure on the part of the United States Secret Service. It’s important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13,” he said, asserting that the findings have “prompted the Secret Service to move into the accountability phase of this process.”
“The Office of Professional Responsibility and the Office of Integrity are reviewing the findings, and as a result of these failures what has become clear to me is we need a shift in paradigm and how we conduct our protective operations,” he said. “As was demonstrated on Sunday in West Palm Beach, the threat level is evolving and requires this paradigm shift,” he continued, asserting that this “paradigm shift” will move Secret Service from a position of response to a state of readiness.
“Secret Service has the main responsibility of building the site plan. We cannot abdicate or defer our responsibilities to others. Advance team personnel have an obligation to ensure that each site meets the protective requirements and principles of Secret Service methodologies,” he said. Describing the situation in Butler, Pennsylvania, and pointing to “communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site,” he stated, “The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners.” (Read more from “Acting Secret Service Director: First Assassination Attempt a ‘Failure’ of USSS” HERE)
