The new Acting Director of the US Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, expressed deep regret over a significant security failure that allowed an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but attributed the lapse to local law enforcement.
Speaking to Senate committees, Rowe detailed his visit to the Pennsylvania rally site, confessing his disappointment about the inadequate security on the building’s roof where the shooter was positioned. He emphasized that the Secret Service had wrongly presumed local police would secure the area.
Republican Senator John Cornyn questioned the reliance on local law enforcement, prompting Rowe to assure that such an oversight would not recur. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal sought confirmation that the Secret Service bore ultimate responsibility, to which Rowe agreed, though he noted failures in local execution.
The discussion also touched on the shooter, Thomas Crooks, revealing his prior online activities that hinted at extremist views. This information emerged during testimonies that also scrutinized communication failures between the Secret Service and local SWAT teams. Amid bipartisan concerns about campaign-related violence, Rowe committed to preventing future lapses and maintaining rigorous accountability within the Secret Service.
