Agents in the Secret Service are predicting that another attempt will be made on the life of former President Donald Trump, following new revelations about the assassination attempt. RealClearPolitics White House correspondent Susan Crabtree reported on internal messages from an agency counter-sniper expressing frustration over the Secret Service’s significant security failure. The messages revealed that the counter-sniper hoped for the dismissal of senior officials and warned that without changes to protocols, another catastrophe could be imminent.
“A Secret Service counter sniper sent an email Monday night to the entire Uniformed Division (not agents) saying he will not stop speaking out until ‘5 high-level supervisors (1 down) are either fired or removed from their current positions,’” Crabtree wrote on X. “The counter sniper also said the agency ‘SHOULD expect another assassination attempt’ before November and complained that he is no longer proud to be a USSS counter sniper after leadership failed the officers at the Trump rally in Butler on 7/13.”
In a memo obtained by Crabtree, the alleged SS sniper added: “Sadly we have fallen short for YEARS. We just look good doing it. I have conveyed these thoughts to not only supervisors (to include the current Captain of CS, but those responsible for training us (SOTS/CS). Only to be brushed off as those with less experience somehow knew more than me.”
“The team I was once proud to be a part of, is something I have to somehow hide as I move into my next career,” the counter-sniper continued. “Who wants to hire a USSS CS guy who failed? That’s the public perception I’m not faced with. The USSS CS team is a stain I will never be able to cleanse. The motto of the USSS…CYA. And every supervisor is doing it right now.”
Meanwhile, acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe was directly involved in denying additional security resources and personnel, including counter-snipers, for former President Trump’s rallies and events, a report said on Tuesday. This decision was made despite repeated requests from the agents assigned to Trump’s detail over the two years leading up to his attempted assassination on July 13, according to several sources familiar with the matter, RealClearPolitics reported separately.
Rowe succeeded former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who resigned last week amid bipartisan criticism following her widely criticized testimony before the House Oversight Committee. Both Rowe and Cheatle were involved in decisions to deny requests for additional magnetometers, extra agents, and other resources to screen rallygoers at large, outdoor Trump campaign events. According to sources, it was Rowe’s sole decision to deny counter-sniper teams to any Trump event located outside driving distance from D.C., the outlet reported.
Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate are scheduled to testify Tuesday before a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees. Senators from both parties have pledged to demand answers regarding the assassination attempt on Trump, which resulted in the death of rally-goer Corey Comperatore and injuries to two others. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, chair of the Homeland Security panel, stated that he intends to scrutinize Rowe and Abbate over the “litany of gaps and failures” in the security response.
“The hearing comes one day after the FBI released new details about its investigation into the shooting, revealing that the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, had looked online for information about mass shootings, power plants, improvised explosive devices and the May assassination attempt of the Slovakian prime minister,” The Associated Press reported. “The FBI also said that Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has agreed to be interviewed by agents as a crime victim. The bureau said last week that the former president had been struck in the ear by a bullet or fragment of one. Trump said Monday evening that he expected that interview to take place Thursday.”
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