(USNewsBreak.com) – Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday, July 12. He was speaking before a large campaign crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a bullet grazed his ear. He immediately dropped to the ground, and the Secret Service quickly rushed onto the stage to cover him. In the incident’s aftermath, many have called the federal agency into question.
Security Breach
The main question people were asking after the attempted assassination was: how did the gunman manage to scale a roof so close to where Trump was speaking? Critics, along with Homeland Security Alexandro Mayorkas himself, viewed the oversight as a massive failure on behalf of the Secret Service.
Then, there was the matter of the federal agency’s heavy reliance “on borrowing local police for its specialized tactical units,” a critical component in the security design to spot and neutralize attackers, according to The Washington Post journalist Carol Leonnig.
The local police were responsible for securing the outer perimeter. The shooter reportedly scaled a roof on a building outside the outer perimeter, yet just 140 yards from Trump.
The former president survived — likely in part because he turned his head at the right time — but the attack killed one attendee and injured another two. Now, people on both sides of the aisle are calling for an investigation into the matter and questioning whether the federal agency, plagued by scandal the last several years, is up to the job.
Congressional Investigation
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the Oversight Committee, said, “There are many questions, and Americans demand answers,” noting that he had already reached out to the federal agency “for a briefing.” He also called Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service director, “to appear for a hearing” and said a formal invitation would follow. Reports say Cheatle is currently set to appear for a hearing on July 22.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said the House plans to “conduct a full investigation” into the details of the shooting, and leaders will also ask officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to appear.
And it’s not just Republicans looking for answers, either. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) called for Secret Service heads to testify before Congress and “be held accountable” if found at fault.
President Joe Biden spoke with Trump following the incident. The White House released no details about the call, but after the shooting, Biden directed the federal agency to reexamine “all security measures” related to the Republican National Convention. He also ordered an “independent review” of Saturday’s security measures.
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