Senate Republican Josh Hawley claimed that most of former President Donald Trump’s security detail at a recent event in Missouri were not Secret Service agents but were instead “drawn from the department’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).” According to Hawley, the Department of Homeland Security assigned “unprepared and inexperienced personnel,” which he stated in a letter sent to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
According to Hawley, the July 13 rally was considered to be a “loose” security event. He cited the lack of detection canines monitoring entry and detecting threats, unauthorized individuals gaining access to backstage areas, and inadequate police presence around the podium and along the event’s perimeter as examples of the subpar security measures in place.
US Secret Service whistleblowers have approached the House Judiciary Committee with claims that there were limited resources available to cover Trump last weekend due to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Washington DC, as well as First Lady Jill Biden’s campaign rally in Pittsburgh, PA. Chairman Jim Jordan has demanded answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray, according to the Daily Caller.
In a letter to Wray, Jordan wrote about two briefings led by the USSS regarding Trump’s July 13 campaign rally on July 8, 2024, with the Western Pennsylvania Fusion Center (WPFC) and other stakeholders. The letter states that USSS Special Agent in Charge Tim Burke reportedly told law enforcement partners that the USSS had limited resources that week due to the NATO summit in Washington D.C. FBI personnel were present at those briefings as well.
While the Committee recognizes that the FBI is one of many agencies represented in the WPFC, it is the lead federal investigative arm and a key source of intelligence on potential threats for special events in its area of responsibility,” Jordan continued.
The House Judiciary Committee has several unanswered questions about the failures that led to the attempted assassination of a president – the first in over forty years – as well as the FBI’s ability to conduct a rapid, transparent, and thorough investigation in the wake of its recent scandals. Chairman Jordan aims to ensure that the committee can effectively evaluate these matters during Wray’s testimony on July 24, 2024.
