Former President Donald Trump’s top advisers and his U.S. Secret Service detail have expressed concerns about not being notified that local police were tracking a suspicious person before that person attempted to assassinate Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one person and injuring two others, as well as causing an injury to Trump’s ear. Members of the Secret Service detail were unaware that Crooks was being tracked before the shooting incident occurred. Some advisers initially believed the sound of gunfire was fireworks and did not immediately take cover, as they were not informed of the suspicious person report.
Local countersnipers observed Crooks acting strangely and took his photograph at least 20 minutes before the shooting. However, the Secret Service detail that protects Trump was not informed of this, nor were they aware that the local police lost track of Crooks or noticed him on a roof near the rally site with a gun. Trump’s security detail first became aware of the situation when Crooks opened fire, eight minutes after Trump took the stage. Trump expressed his frustration that they were not told about the report so they could have decided whether to delay his speech. Investigators are still working to determine whether anyone informed Trump’s security detail about the suspicious person report.
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stated that reports of suspicious individuals are common at protected sites and do not always constitute a threat. Trump’s team had previously had tensions with top Secret Service officials over security requests that were rejected, including requests for more magnetometers and countersnipers at events. Members of Congress have raised concerns about poor communication contributing to the assassination attempt on Trump. Trump’s team may have changed their security decisions had they known about the suspicious person report, but it is uncertain whether this would have led to a delay in the speech.
There have been instances of suspicious people or activities reported at Trump’s rallies that turned out to be nothing, as individuals are screened by magnetometers inside the Secret Service perimeter. However, in the case of the July 13 rally, Crooks was located just outside the secure perimeter, raising suspicions among local countersnipers. Reports indicate that Crooks was observed acting strangely outside the rally site without entering, and this prompted concerns when he was seen with a golf range finder. Following the shooting incident, questions have been raised about the lack of communication between law enforcement and Trump’s security detail.
The lack of information provided to Trump’s security detail and advisers about the suspicious person report has sparked criticism and concerns about how the situation was handled. Trump’s team believes they may have made different security decisions had they been alerted to the potential threat before the shooting. There were tensions between Trump’s camp and Secret Service officials prior to the assassination attempt, with disputes over security arrangements and logistics at events. The ongoing investigation aims to determine whether there was a breakdown in communication that allowed Crooks to attempt to assassinate Trump at the rally in Pennsylvania.
