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(The Daily Signal)—The Secret Service missed several opportunities to stop the first attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July, according to a Senate report released a day after the second such attempt on Trump’s life at his golf club in Florida.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., released a 22-page report Monday that says the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service, and the FBI all failed to answer the public’s questions about the first attempted assassination of Trump on July13 during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“In response, Senator Hawley personally visited the Butler, Pennsylvania rally site to interview whistleblowers, opened up a whistleblower tip line, and encouraged those with relevant information to tell their stories,” the Hawley report says. “Since then, many individuals have come forward with information regarding the events of July 13—from the Secret Service, DHS, and local law enforcement, as well as private citizens.”
The Secret Service contends that it is working with members of Congress on oversight of the July 13 shooting, which clipped Trump’s right ear, killed one rallygoer, and wounded two others.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the senator’s report and will continue to work with congressional oversight committees in both the House and the Senate,” Secret Service spokesperson Nate Herring told The Daily Signal in an email responding to an inquiry about the Hawley report.
Here are top takeaways from the new report on the attempt to kill Trump in Pennsylvania.
1. ‘Gunman Would Have Been Handcuffed in the Parking Lot’
The Secret Service’s Counter Surveillance Division didn’t perform a normal evaluation of the Butler site, the whistleblower alleged. The division performs threat assessments of event sites involving protectees.
“The whistleblower stated that if personnel from CSD had been present at the rally, the gunman would have been handcuffed in the parking lot after being spotted with a rangefinder,” the report says.
The whistleblower said the Secret Service had ordered significant cuts to the division that could include reducing manpower by up to 20%.
Secret Service personnel also expressed alarm that individuals were admitted to the Pennsylvania rally without vetting. The whistleblower alleged that those who raised such concerns faced retaliation.
2. ‘Former President, and Not the Incumbent’
The Hawley report notes that during a Senate hearing July 30, Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the Secret Service, testified: “If you’re talking about Butler, Pennsylvania, all assets requested were approved.”
However, the whistleblower told Hawley’s office that countersniper teams and countersurveillance resources were not included in the request because Secret Service officials told the requesting agents that such requests would be denied.
The Secret Service denied the requests for additional security in part because Trump was “not the incumbent” president.
“The whistleblower alleged that officials within this office preemptively informed the Pittsburgh field office that the Butler rally was not going to receive additional security resources because Trump is a former president, and not the incumbent president or vice president,” the report says.
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The whistleblower said the manpower request didn’t include extra security resources because agents on the ground were told not to ask for them in the first place, according to the report.
“Importantly, these resources included countersniper teams and CSD personnel,” the report says.
Members of Congress have questioned why Trump didn’t have more protection after the first assassination attempt July 13.
On Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters that since Trump isn’t a sitting president, Secret Service coverage was limited.
“If he was [the sitting president], we would have had this entire golf course surrounded,” Bradshaw said.
During a Monday afternoon press conference, Rowe talked about both the July and September attempts on Trump’s life.
“Coming out of Butler, I have ordered a paradigm shift,” Rowe said during a press conference Monday. “The Secret Service’s protective methodologies work. And they are sound. And we saw that yesterday. But the way we are positioned right now in this dynamic threat environment, it has given me guidance to say, ‘you know what, we need to look at what our protective methodology is.’ We need to get out of a reactive model and get to a preparedness model.”
3. ‘Known to Be Incompetent’
One whistleblower asserted that the Secret Service agent in charge of the Butler rally was responsible for mitigating line-of-sight concerns at the site.
Another whistleblower alleged the same lead agent at the rally made decisions that “likely compromised the overall security of the event.”
“The Secret Service’s lead site agent on July 13—the agent with specific responsibility for the security of the rally site, including line-of-sight concerns—was known to be incompetent,” the report says. “That incompetence led to the placement of items like flags around the Butler stage and catwalk, impairing visibility.”
The report continues:
For example, campaign material such as flags were permitted to be placed around the stage and catwalk used by the former president, despite the fact that these items were typically prohibited because of how they affected the line-of-sight of those agents responsible for identifying threats.
The Secret Service also did not check IDs when issuing credentials that authorize access to restricted areas of the site, contrary to typical practice.
4. ‘Loose’ Security for Trump
The government whistleblower informed Hawley’s office that the Secret Service considered Trump’s July 13 rally a “loose” security event.
Among other things, this meant that “detection canines were not deployed to monitor entry and detect threats in the usual manner for outdoor campaign rallies,” the Hawley report says.
The report also says that individuals “without proper designations” could access backstage areas at the Pennsylvania rally.
“DHS personnel failed to properly police the 5-foot security buffer near the stage and allowed people to move barricades around the buffer,” the report says, referring to the Department of Homeland Security, parent agency of the Secret Service. Further, the whistleblower said, DHS personnel were not familiar with security protocols for campaign events.
“The whistleblower further alleged that the majority of DHS personnel working the rally were agents with the department’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) team,” the report continues.
5. ‘Abandoned the Roof’
The whistleblower told Hawley’s office that there was supposed to be a security presence on the roof of what is called AGR Building 6, where the would-be assassin aimed and fired shots at Trump, killing one man, striking two other men, and grazing the right ear of the former president as he spoke onstage.
That rooftop was supposed to be covered by personnel, the whistleblower said, “but the post was abandoned because of the hot weather.”
During the Senate hearing July 30, Hawley questioned Rowe, the Secret Service’s acting director, about this point.
Rowe replied that law enforcement was “posted up inside” Building 6. He said “we’re going to ensure that state and local countersnipers are on roofs.”
Hawley pressed whether law enforcement officers had abandoned their post on the roof. Rowe replied that he did not “know that to be a fact.”
6. No Drone Coverage
On July 25, Hawley wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about a whistleblower allegation that drone coverage for the Trump rally had been denied by Secret Service supervisors.
The report provides more information on the matter.
“The whistleblower alleged that the night before the rally, Secret Service personnel repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally,” the report says. “According to the whistleblower, the drones that were offered to the Secret Service could not only identify active shooters but also help neutralize them.”
After the shooting, Secret Service personnel asked local law enforcement to deploy the drone technology to survey the site, the whistleblower told Hawley’s office.
The 20-year-old would-be assassin used his own drone to survey the rally area up to two hours before Trump took the stage.
7. ‘Poorly Secured’ Hospital
After the July 13 shooting, Secret Service agents rushed the stage to shield Trump before taking him to Butler Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.
Although the campaign rally wasn’t adequately secured, neither was the hospital, the whistleblower told Hawley’s office.
“The hospital site where former President Trump received treatment after the shooting was poorly secured, and the hospital site agent could not answer basic questions about site security,” the report says.
The report later adds: “The Secret Service site agent responsible for hospital security did not know what was going on and could not answer basic questions about site security.”
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
