Quick Hit:

A top Secret Service agent in Pittsburgh says he was unaware of a credible threat to Donald Trump’s safety before a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, raising concerns about internal communication failures.

Key Details: 

• The Secret Service special agent in charge (SAIC) of the Pittsburgh field office learned about the assassination attempt on Trump through the media.
• The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report states only two agents were aware of the threat before the rally.
• Secret Service leadership acknowledged critical communication failures and promised to prevent future lapses.

Diving Deeper:

A newly released report from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee revealed a significant failure within the Secret Service during a July 13 rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service special agent in charge (SAIC) of the Pittsburgh field office stated they were not informed of credible threats to Trump until after an assassination attempt, which they learned about from televised news reports.

The preliminary report highlights numerous communication breakdowns within the agency, with only two Secret Service agents made aware of the threat in advance. One of these agents received classified details about the threat, which involved a potential drone attack. The failure to relay this information to the SAIC and other key personnel has prompted criticism and internal reviews.

Handwritten notes from the SAIC raised concerns about why critical intelligence had not been shared. “Why am I hearing that there were threats to the site on TV?” the SAIC wrote, questioning why more comprehensive security measures were not implemented.

Counter snipers had been assigned to the event due to the intelligence, but many personnel involved, including the intelligence advance agent and the SAIC, were not notified. The interim report pointed to the need for improved communication and decision-making within the agency to prevent such oversights in the future.

Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi responded to the report, stating, “The weight of our mission is not lost on us… what happened on July 13 should never happen again.” This statement underscores the agency's commitment to addressing the failures and ensuring better coordination in protecting high-profile individuals like former President Trump.