Home Security - Investigation against Secret Service after attack on Donald Trump
After the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Inspector General of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched an investigation. This is reported by news agencies Associated Press (AP) and Reuters.
Specifically, the investigation concerns the security measures taken by the intelligence service for the former US President Donald Trump during the campaign event in Pennsylvania.
According to a short statement published on the Inspection's website, the purpose of the investigation is to "evaluate the procedures of the US Secret Service in securing the campaign event of the former President Trump on July 13, 2024." The investigation aims to provide insights into whether the security measures were adequate and if there were any potential oversights.
A date for the initiation of the investigation was not mentioned. The statement is part of a long list of ongoing cases being followed by the Inspector General's office, according to Reuters. It is listed in the category "Counterterrorism and Homeland Threats."
Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump: Secret Service under Scrutiny
President Joe Biden had already ordered an independent review of the security measures at the rally.
The assassination attempt on Trump raised questions about how the shooter was able to climb onto a roof from which he had Trump in his sights. Trump was injured in the ear by the shooter, and a bystander died in the gunfire. The 20-year-old shooter managed to get as close as 135 meters to the stage, where Trump was speaking – and that, despite apparently ongoing Iranian assassination plans against Trump that had already led to increased security measures for him.
The Director of the Secret Service, Kim Cheatle, stated that the agency was aware of the significance of the investigation ordered by Biden and would fully participate. She also stated that the agency was working to understand how the shooting occurred on Saturday and to ensure that such an incident never happens again.
The agency, which employs around 7800 employees, is responsible for the protection of Presidents, Vice Presidents, their families, former Presidents, their spouses, and their children under 16, as well as other high-ranking cabinet members such as the Minister of Internal Security.
The investigation into the security measures during Donald Trump's campaign event following the assassination attempt, as ordered by President Joe Biden, also involves an assessment of the Secret Service's actions. The Secret Service director, Kim Cheatle, acknowledged the significance of this investigation and pledged full cooperation.
The independent review ordered by President Biden and the ongoing investigation by the Inspector General of the US Department of Homeland Security could shed light on potential oversights or inadequacies in the security measures during Trump's campaign event.
The assassination attempt on Trump at his election campaign event in Pennsylvania, which resulted in Trump being injured and a bystander's death, has sparked numerous questions about security protocols and potential threats, including reported Iranian assassination plans against him.
