The Secret Service has reportedly advised the Trump campaign to cease holding outdoor rallies and events nearly two weeks after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. This advisory follows a dramatic incident on July 13, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired a shot from the roof of a nearby building during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting Trump in the upper part of his right ear.
Three individuals familiar with the matter, who spoke to the Washington Post under the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Secret Service had urged campaign advisers to avoid large outdoor gatherings. Instead, the Trump campaign is now focusing on indoor venues, such as basketball arenas and other large spaces that can accommodate thousands of attendees.
A campaign official, also speaking anonymously, explained that indoor events are considered safer because they allow better control over who enters through a limited number of doors. Despite this, the official acknowledged the limitations and challenges of indoor rallies. “Indoor rallies are more expensive,” the official said. “But with an indoor venue, you have a capacity. It doesn’t pack the same punch. There’s something about being at one of those outdoor rallies.”
In other words, the Secret Service is incompetent, so Trump to make changes.
Since the assassination attempt, the Secret Service has faced increased scrutiny over the security measures in place during the Trump rally. On Monday, former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle appeared before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a hearing. Lawmakers from both parties questioned Cheatle intensely, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) inquiring about the security perimeter being smaller than the range of an AR-15. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) also questioned Cheatle about the number of alerts received regarding suspicious individuals at the rally and why the event had not been paused.
The hearing was a disaster, and Cheatle resigned from her position as director of the Secret Service the following day.
But there may be more behind why she resigned.
Recent testimony from the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner has revealed that local law enforcement informed the Secret Service well before Crooks began shooting that there was a threat.
Commissioner Christopher Paris gave more information than Cheatle had during her hearing.
Paris did say under oath that “several Secret Service agents” told the state police commander on the scene before the rally that local law enforcement was responsible for securing the building where Crooks positioned himself.
But here is what Paris said before Congress about the event when Crooks was spotted with a range finder:
Paris also detailed communications among law enforcement about Crooks before Trump took the stage at the rally earlier this month.
According to Paris, “there was a text thread going” with members of the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, some of whom initially spotted Crooks and reported him as a suspicious individual.
“At some point when he utilized the range finder, the suspicion was heightened,” Paris said of Crooks.
State Police then received a call and a text from the ESU about Crooks’ activity that they immediately relayed to Secret Service. Local, state and federal law enforcement were in a unified command post at the rally.
State Police “verbally turned right around and gave it to the Secret Service,” Paris said.
It’s no wonder Cheatle resigned.
