US Secret Service Punishes 6 Agents for Failures in Protecting Trump
The US Secret Service has taken disciplinary actions against six of its members, suspending them from work without pay for periods ranging from 10 to 42 days due to security lapses during an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania last year.
Deputy Director of the Secret Service, Matt Quinn, explained to CBS News that the sanctions did not lead to the termination of the employees, but they will be reassigned to less sensitive duties upon their return. He emphasized that the agency is working on addressing the root causes that led to these security breaches.
Trump suffered an ear injury during a campaign rally in Butler on July 13, 2024, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from an inadequately monitored location. The attack also resulted in the death of firefighter Cory Comberatory as he tried to protect his family, and the serious injury of two other individuals before a Secret Service sniper neutralized the attacker.
A report issued by a Senate committee in September 2024 described the incident as a result of a series of failures, including poor coordination among security agencies, unclear roles, malfunctions in drone defense systems, and communication breakdowns during the crisis.
Despite another assassination attempt on Trump two months later in Florida, Quinn stressed the Secret Service's full responsibility for the Butler incident, calling it an "operational failure" and focusing on ensuring it is not repeated.
As part of improvement plans, Quinn noted that the agency has enhanced its capabilities by providing new drones and mobile command centers to ensure better coordination with local police in an effort to address the vulnerabilities exposed by the incident.
