Secret Service issues report days before Trump shooting anniversary

The U.S. Secret Service published a report on Thursday sharing operational updates made within the agency since the failed assassination attempt against President Donald Trump last year in Butler, Penn. Officials emphasized the importance of accountability and noted that six individuals are receiving disciplinary actions for their failure to protect the then-presidential candidate. The agency came under scrutiny from both lawmakers and the public after a 20-year-old shot at Trump from a nearby rooftop during a rally. A bullet grazed the president’s ear, and he was rushed offstage by security agents. Then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned her leadership position less than two weeks after the attack.

July 13 represented an operational failure that constantly reminds agents of the need for continuous improvement, according to the report. Internal and external reports well document the failures on the day of and days before the attack, including communication breakdowns, technological issues, and human failure the review noted. The agency is laser-focused on ensuring that those the Secret Service swore to protect will never be let down again, the report added.

What operational changes are being made? The review described a new agency structure organized under five pillars–operations, human capital, resources and physical assets, training, and technology. The report showed Secret Service officials implementing nearly half of the policy changes recommended by the House Task Force and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Another nearly one-third of the recommendations are still in the process of enactment, the report added. The agency took steps to improve coordination with state and local law enforcement during protective events to ensure a clear chain of hierarchy and accountability, along with consolidating event planning and approvals under one person.

The Secret Service also created a new Aviation and Airspace Security division for aerial monitoring, the report noted. Other reforms include sending additional assets, like counter-snipers, to all outdoor protective events in the future, and sharing intelligence across divisions. The report also noted its compliance with a 2024 law requiring agents to apply the same standard of protection to presidents, vice presidents, and major candidates. The reforms made over the last year are just the beginning of continued operational assessments and changes, according to the report.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report about lawmakers questioning the Secret Service after foiling a second assassination plot against the president last fall.