A recent report from the U.S. Senate has revealed a series of failures that allowed a gunman to shoot at former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s findings, released on Sunday, highlight a troubling lack of discipline and accountability within the Secret Service, noting that no personnel were terminated following the incident.
The report describes the events as a “cascade of preventable failures” that nearly resulted in a tragedy. During the rally, a 20-year-old gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, grazing Trump’s ear. The attack resulted in the death of one rally attendee and injuries to two others. Crooks was subsequently shot and killed by Secret Service agents.
“This was not a single error,” the report states. “It was a complete breakdown of security at every level—fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats.” Senator Rand Paul, the committee’s Republican chairman, emphasized a “cultural cover-up” within the agency regarding critical security failures leading up to the attack.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Kimberly Cheatle, who was the director of the Secret Service, resigned just ten days later amid intense scrutiny of the agency’s actions. Six agents who were on duty during the incident received suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, according to the agency.
Cheatle has publicly defended her actions for the first time since her departure, asserting that she did request additional security measures, including agency countersnipers, for the rally. “Any assertion that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than an individual, failure,” she stated.
The Senate committee criticized the lack of appropriate consequences, noting that more than six officials should have faced disciplinary action and that two individuals received lighter punishments than recommended. Notably, the report underscores that no one was fired for their roles in the security failures.
Current Secret Service director Sean Curran, who was in charge of Trump’s security detail during the rally, acknowledged the report and stated that the agency has implemented significant reforms to address the issues identified. “Following the events of July 13, the Secret Service took a serious look at our operations and implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day,” Curran said.
On the anniversary of the attack, Trump reflected on the experience, expressing gratitude for his survival. “It remains my firm conviction that God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our Nation from those who seek its ruin,” he remarked. He also praised the doctors, first responders, and rally attendees who assisted others during the chaos, calling them heroes who transformed from ordinary citizens into lifesavers.
As the discussion around the incident continues, the Senate report raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of the Secret Service and its ability to protect high-profile individuals in increasingly dangerous environments.
