&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Could Trump assassination attempt have been stopped? Secret Service officials were aware of threat to Trump’s life, says report")
The United States Secret Service failed to take key steps that might have stopped the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July 2024, a new report from a government watchdog has found. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), there were serious lapses in communication and planning that left the 47th US president vulnerable during his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Secret Service missed warnings and failed to share threat information
The report revealed that senior Secret Service officials were aware of a possible threat to Trump’s life ahead of the 13 July rally. However, due to what the report called a “siloed practice for sharing classified threat information,” this intelligence was not passed down to agents on the ground or local law enforcement. The threat “was not specific to the July 13 rally or gunman,” the GAO clarified, but warned that changes are needed to avoid similar failures in future.
“Making changes to Secret Service policies to require it to proactively share threat information internally could help ensure its agents and partners will have information needed to provide effective protection,” the report recommended.
A series of failures in communication and planning
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The investigation also uncovered broader failures in how the agency prepared for the event. There was “a lack of specific and complete guidance” for Secret Service personnel responsible for securing the rally site, the report found. It also noted weaknesses in training and resource allocation. Some agents reportedly had poor mobile phone signals at the rally, making communication difficult during the attack.
Grassley blames “years of mismanagement”
The review was requested by Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, who released the report on Saturday. In a strong statement, Grassley said the attack on Trump was made possible by “a series of bad decisions and bureaucratic handicaps.”
He added, “The Secret Service’s failure on July 13th was the culmination of years of mismanagement and came after the Biden administration denied requests for enhanced security to protect President Trump. Americans should be grateful that President Trump survived that day and was ultimately reelected to restore common sense to our country.”
What happened during the assassination attempt?
The attempt on Trump’s life took place during a campaign rally. A gunman fired eight shots, one of which grazed Trump’s ear. One supporter, Corey Comperatore, was killed, and two others were injured before a Secret Service counter-sniper shot and killed the attacker. Following the attack, many questioned how the shooter managed to get into position without being detected.
Funding boost may help fix systemic issues
Grassley pointed to $1.17 billion in new funding for the Secret Service included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As chair of the Judiciary Committee, he said it was his responsibility to ensure this money is used to “repair what’s broken.” “I’m hopeful this significant injection of resources will go a long way in bringing the agency up to speed,” he added. The Secret Service and the White House have not yet responded publicly to the report.
