Six Secret Service agents have been suspended without pay following a damning internal review of the security failures that led to the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024.
The disciplinary action comes nearly a year after the 13 July 2024 shooting at the Butler Farm Show grounds, where 20 year 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple rounds from an unsecured rooftop. Trump, then a presidential candidate, was grazed in the ear while a local firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was fatally shot. Two other attendees were also injured.
Matt Quinn, the agency’s deputy director, confirmed to CBS News that the suspended agents will face between 10 and 42 days without salary or benefits. He defended the decision not to dismiss the agents entirely, stating, “We’re not going to fire our way out of this crisis.”
Instead, Quinn said the agency is focused on addressing the systemic failures that allowed the attack to happen, noting that the disciplined agents will return to less critical operational roles. “We’re going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation,” he said.
The attempted assassination was broadcast live on television and revealed glaring lapses in security, including Crooks’ ability to access a rooftop with a clear sightline to Trump. Although a Secret Service sniper eventually shot and killed Crooks, the damage had already been done.
Incident led to Secret Service director’s resignation
The incident led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and sparked multiple congressional investigations. A bipartisan House report released in December labelled the failures as “preventable,” citing poor leadership, inadequate training, and serious lapses in planning and coordination.
The House report also criticised the use of inexperienced personnel in key planning positions and a lack of proper collaboration with local law enforcement.
Separately, a Senate investigation in September found “multiple foreseeable and preventable planning and operational failures,” highlighting miscommunication, unclear chains of command, and outdated communications equipment.
In a further blow to the agency’s reputation, a second alleged attempt on Trump’s life was foiled just two months after the Butler shooting. At Trump’s Florida golf course, suspect Ryan Routh was apprehended after allegedly hiding in nearby trees with a firearm for 12 hours. He has pleaded not guilty.
Quinn acknowledged full responsibility on behalf of the agency for the security breakdown in Butler, calling it “an operational failure.” He assured the public that reforms are underway, including the deployment of military-grade drones and mobile command posts to improve real-time coordination with local police, technology that was conspicuously absent at the rally in question.
The latest disciplinary action, while significant, is likely to reignite debate over the readiness and leadership of the Secret Service as the US heads into a contentious election season.
