Secret Service Suspends 6 Personnel Following Trump Assassination Attempt
The Secret Service suspended 6 employees in connection with the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. The disciplinary action represents the agency’s response to security failures during the Pennsylvania rally shooting.
Agency leadership defended the decision to issue suspensions rather than terminations. A top Secret Service official stated the punishment fits the circumstances surrounding the security breach that allowed a gunman to fire shots at the Republican presidential candidate.
The July 13 incident occurred during Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old shooter positioned himself on a nearby rooftop and fired multiple rounds before Secret Service snipers killed him. The attack wounded Trump’s ear and killed one attendee while injuring two others.
The suspended personnel reportedly include agents and supervisors responsible for advance security planning and perimeter protection. Their suspensions follow an internal investigation that identified communication breakdowns and coordination failures between local law enforcement and federal agents.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned 10 days after the shooting amid intense congressional scrutiny. Multiple investigations by Congress, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security continue examining how the gunman accessed the rooftop undetected.
The agency faces mounting pressure to implement comprehensive security reforms. Critics argue the suspensions represent insufficient accountability for the most serious Secret Service security failure in decades.
