It was revealed that the day former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt was also the first time Secret Service counter snipers were deployed to protect him during the 2024 campaign.
The U.S. Secret Service held a critical news briefing on Friday to address its “colossal security failure” at the Butler, Pennsylvania Trump rally, in light of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
“Can you confirm that this was the first 2024 campaign event that counter-sniper teams were assigned to the former president?” CBS News reporter asked Rowe.
“As part of their advance, they identify those lines of sight, those high ground concerns, and there’s a division of labor,” said Rowe.
“With respect to whether or not this was the first time, it was. It was the first time Secret Service counter snipers were deployed to support the former president’s details.”
“The former president at campaign rallies has actually been getting state and local resources — tactical assets, counter snipers from state and locals,” Rowe added.
This begs the question: why did it take until that day for such measures to be deemed necessary? What do they know?
It can be recalled that CNN reported that the Trump campaign was made aware of an Iranian assassination plot against Trump before Saturday’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
According to the report, the Secret Service ramped up security after receiving intel about the assassination plot.
Saturday’s would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had no connection to the Iranian assassination plot, according to CNN.
“Secret Service learned of the increased threat from this threat stream,” the official told CNN. “NSC directly contacted USSS at a senior level to be absolutely sure they continued to track the latest reporting. USSS shared this information with the detail lead, and the Trump campaign was made aware of an evolving threat. In response to the increased threat, Secret Service surged resources and assets for the protection of former President Trump. All of this was in advance of Saturday.”
The Trump campaign refused to comment on the threat.
“We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service,” the Trump camp told CNN.
During the press briefing on Friday, acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. revealed the detailed timeline and critical moments that transpired on the day Trump was shot.
Rowe admitted that Secret Service personnel were unaware that Thomas Crooks had a firearm during former President Trump’s speech until gunshots rang out.
“At 6:00 PM, former President Trump took the stage to begin remarks. And based on what I know right now, neither the Secret Service counter-sniper teams nor members of the former President’s Security Detail had any knowledge that there was a man on the roof of the AGR building with a firearm. It is my understanding that personnel were not aware the assailant had a firearms until they heard gunshots,” said Rowe.
According to Rowe, at 6:11 PM ET, Thomas Crooks fired three shots at Trump from a distance. Rowe stated that it took just 15.5 seconds for a countersniper to neutralize Crooks after he fired.
Rowe said, “At 6:11 PM, the assailant’s first volley of three shots was fired, and within three seconds, the former President’s detail rushed the stage and covered former President Trump, shielding him with their own bodies. The fourth through eighth shots took place over the next several seconds. Fifteen and a half seconds after the assailant’s first shot, a Secret Service counter-sniper fired a single round that neutralized the assailant.”
Fox News on Wednesday obtained video from James Copenhaver, one of the victims wounded by Democrat donor Thomas Crooks, that shows the shooter moving across the roof of the American Glass Research (AGR) building minutes before the would-assassin tried to gun down Trump.
As Gateway Pundit readers know, the AGR building is where Crooks set up shop to carry out his assassination attempt. The Secret Service inexplicable left the area unguarded despite it being within 150 yards of Trump, an easy shot for a halfway decent shooter.
When asked if any personnel had been terminated in connection with the incident, Rowe responded that not a single person has been fired for the attempt on President Trump’s life.
