There have been several reports that at least five Secret Service agents have been placed on administrative leave after what can only be described as a disastrous failure in protecting Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Among those on leave are one of Trump’s personal protective detail members and four agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office, including the special agent in charge. One of these agents was also responsible for coordinating the event.
Since the rally, news reports have highlighted that there was very little coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement, which led to a Swiss cheese effect. Even more alarming, a counter-sniper team was only assigned the day before the rally. They didn’t have enough time to survey the site properly.
NEW – Whistleblower says Secret Service HQ told agents working the Butler PA event NOT to request additional manpower resources for the rally & warned any such requests would be denied. Contradicts Director Rowe testimony, who said no resources were ever denied pic.twitter.com/85sHTAI82u
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 23, 2024
It was also learned that the Secret Service and local authorities were using different communication devices and that the Secret Service turned down the radios offered to them by local law enforcement.
The fact that these agents have been placed on administrative leave suggests that the investigation is ongoing and this is a first step at holding those accountable.
However, Senator Josh Hawley recently claimed that a whistleblower came forward “to claim that officials at Secret Service headquarters encouraged agents in charge of the rally not to request any extra security assets in their formal planning request.”
The agents are being put on leave six weeks after the incident. The Secret Service claim it took so long because they had to wait for the FBI to finish their investigation before they could start.
The five are still employed but are working from home, are not allowed to do any investigative work, and are not allowed to work in the field.
