Whistleblowers Reveal Secret Service Understaffing Before Attempted Trump Assassination

Whistleblowers have informed House lawmakers that the Secret Service was aware of its “limited” resources to protect former President Donald Trump in the days leading up to the rally in Pennsylvania where he was nearly assassinated. This revelation has prompted serious questions about the agency's preparedness and the effectiveness of its security measures.

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) stated that whistleblowers came forward with information indicating that the Secret Service knew it was short-staffed ahead of the rally. The understaffing was attributed to the simultaneous coverage of a NATO event and a Biden campaign event in Pittsburgh featuring First Lady Jill Biden.

Key Points:

• Whistleblowers disclosed that the Secret Service had two briefings on July 8, 2024, about the upcoming July 13 campaign rally, highlighting limited resources due to other high-profile events.

• USSS Special Agent in Charge Tim Burke reportedly informed law enforcement partners about the staffing limitations during the briefings.

• The attack on July 13 resulted in several shots fired at Trump, injuring him and two rally attendees, and killing 50-year-old Corey Comperatore.

Chairman Jordan emphasized the gravity of the situation in his letter, writing, “Information provided to this Committee raises serious questions about the thoroughness of the security planning by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in support of President Trump’s campaign rally.”

Additional Facts:

• This was the first attempted assassination of a president in over forty years.

• The incident has sparked intense scrutiny of the Secret Service's ability to manage multiple high-profile events simultaneously.

• The Committee is particularly concerned about the FBI's capacity to conduct a rapid and transparent investigation given its recent scandals.

Jordan has requested numerous documents from the FBI regarding the investigation into the attack and whether the rally was indeed left understaffed due to the NATO summit and the Biden event. He has set a deadline for the materials by 5:00 p.m. on July 23.

Republicans in the House are also demanding that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle provide public testimony about the incident. The call for transparency and accountability is growing louder as details emerge about the possible security lapses that led to this near-tragic event.

Share this article and subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.