By Steve Neavling
Several agents from the U.S. Secret Service’s Pittsburgh Field Office have been placed on administrative leave after the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pa., Real Clear Politics reports.
The news comes three weeks after Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe forcefully rejected senators’ demands to swiftly fire or reprimand key agents for the security lapses that contributed to the assassination attempt.
Another set of agents assigned to Trump’s protective detail remain on the job, even though they were involved in drawing up the security plan for the Pennsylvania rally.
The uneven handling of the two teams is fueling internal discord and raising suspicions that the Pittsburgh office may take the fall for the significant security breakdowns that occurred that day, despite the widespread responsibility.
At a joint Senate committee session on July 30, Rowe admitted he couldn’t understand or justify why the roof from which shooter Thomas Crooks fired wasn’t properly secured. He confirmed that the Secret Service is investigating whether any personnel violated policies or failed to adhere to established security protocols. If such breaches occurred, Rowe said, those involved would be held accountable and face disciplinary actions, including potential termination.
Nevertheless, sources contend that senior officials at Secret Service headquarters in Washington should also be held accountable. These officials were almost certainly involved in the decision to withhold certain security measures requested for the Butler rally, despite the elevated threat level from a specific Iranian plot targeting Trump.
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in late July amid bipartisan criticism for her failure to be forthcoming about the security breakdowns at the rally. However, both congressional critics and members of the Secret Service community are pushing for deeper accountability following what is seen as the worst security lapse since President Ronald Reagan’s shooting in 1981.
