Attack on Trump: Secret Service ensures cooperation in investigation
The Secret Service is working with the parties involved on all levels to "understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent such an incident from ever happening again," Cheatle stated. The agency is responsible for the security of presidents, former presidents, and presidential candidates and is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump survived an attack at a campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania on a Saturday only narrowly. The former president was lightly wounded by a bullet near his ear. In addition to the alleged shooter, a 50-year-old firefighter and family man was killed, and two other men in the crowd were severely injured.
Biden ordered a comprehensive investigation into the security measures at the event following the incident. The Secret Service is under increasing pressure to explain how the shooter was able to position himself on a roof approximately 150 meters away from one of the most heavily guarded politicians in the world.
After the attack, phone recordings surfaced in which people attempted to warn the security forces about the shooter. The Washington Post reported, based on video analysis from the crime scene, that the shots at Trump were fired 86 seconds after the first audible warnings to the police.
The Secret Service announced that security for Trump would be increased again for the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which began on a Monday. The Secret Service is designing plans for large events "to respond to the latest findings," Cheatle explained.
Biden, meanwhile, said in an interview with NBC that he feels safe with the Secret Service but that the question remains whether the agency could have foreseen the shots at Trump's campaign appearance.
In response to the attack, Biden also ordered personal protection for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. through the Secret Service. "Given the events of the weekend, the President has directed me to work with the Secret Service to protect Robert Kennedy Jr.," said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Trump had previously called for Kennedy's protection on his Truth Social platform.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of the former Attorney General and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who was shot and killed in 1968, five years after his brother John F. Kennedy was assassinated in the same manner.
- The cooperation between the Secret Service and the parties involved in the investigation is essential to ensure such an incident does not occur again with a future presidential candidate.
- During the investigation, service records and communication logs between the Secret Service and local authorities in Pennsylvania will likely be scrutinized for any potential lapses in service.
- Some critics argue that the Secret Service's failure to prevent the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania highlights the need for a complete overhaul of the agency's security protocols.
- In the aftermath of the attack, various conspiracy theories surrounding potential high-level involvement, such as a 'Mordanschlag' or planned assassination, have surfaced but remain unsubstantiated.
- Despite the increased security measures, Joe Biden and other prominent political figures, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., remain cautious about their safety, especially considering the historical instances of assassination within their families.
