Pressure mounts on Secret Service; agency had denied requests for extra Trump security

The Secret Service denied requests for additional security for Donald Trump over the past two years but said in a statement it had "made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee."

Agents who oversaw Trump had previously requested magnetometers and more agents to screen attendees at sporting events and other large public gatherings that Trump attended, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the Secret Service’s denial of additional resources.  

Agents, prior to the assassination attempt against the former president last week, also had also requested more snipers and specialty teams at other outdoor events.  Secret Service officials sometimes denied the requests because of a lack of resources and staffing shortages at the agency, the Post said.

The Secret Service has been under intense scrutiny since July 13, when a gunman opened fire on thousands of Trump supporters gathered at the Butler Farm Show grounds in Pennsylvania. Trump, shot in the ear, was hustled off the stage by Secret Service personnel. Trump supporter Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed and two other rallygoers were critically wounded before a sniper fatally shot the gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had been shooting from a rooftop near the rally.

Many questions remain:One week after Trump assassination attempt, motive soughr

Developments:

∎ House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking on CNN's State of the Union, said the Secret Service response to the Trump assassination attempt has been “unconscionable” and the director is “not fit to lead." Director Kimberly Cheatle faces a House hearing on the shooting Monday.

∎ Pennsylvania congressman Brendan Boyle became the first Democratic lawmaker to publicly call for Cheatle's resignation, saying in a statement that "the evidence coming to light has shown unacceptable operational failures" and that he has lost confidence her.

Trump says he was not warned of Crooks threat

Trump told Fox News that no agency or individual warned him of a problem in the minutes before his rally began in Pennsylvania. Crooks was first identified as a person of interest outside the rally site almost an hour before the rally began, the Secret Service said. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, who was present at the briefings with lawmakers, told Fox News that Crooks was identified as suspicious because he had a rangefinder and backpack. Snipers first spotted Crooks on the roof about 10 minutes before the start of the rally and 20 minutes before the first shots were fired

"Nobody mentioned it, nobody said there was a problem. I would've waited for 15, they could've said let's wait for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 5 minutes, something," Trump told Fox News in an interview. "I think that was a mistake. How did somebody get on that roof? And why wasn't he reported?"

Secret Service says it provided alternative support  

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, in a statement provided USA TODAY on Sunday, acknowledged the agency had turned down requests for additional resources sought by Trump’s security detail. Guglielmi said that in instances where Secret Service could not provide additional resources, they supplemented security at rallies with state and local law enforcement. It also changed security plans to reduce the former president’s exposure, he said. 

"Every day we work in a dynamic threat environment to ensure our protectees are safe and secure across multiple events, travel and other challenging environments," the statement said. "We execute a comprehensive and layered strategy to balance personnel, technology and specialized operational needs.:

Statement at odds with previous Secret Service claims

The statement is a reversal of what the agency has previously said. On day after the shooting, Guglielmi said it was untrue that Secret Service had denied additional security resources. 

“Theres an untrue assertion that a member of the former President’s team requested additional security resources & that those were rebuffed,” Guglielmi wrote on X. “This is absolutely false. In fact, we added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo.” 

Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday that the accusation that he had issued the denials was “a baseless and irresponsible statement and it is one that is unequivocally false.”  DHS oversees the Secret Services. 

Crooks flew drone over shooting site ahead of rampage

Crooks apparently flew a drone over the rally site and obtained aerial footage of the western Pennsylvania fairgrounds just hours before the event, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a law-enforcement officials briefed on the incident. The drone was recovered by the FBI, which is leading the investigation into the shooting. 

The predetermined path suggests Crooks flew the drone multiple times in his efforts to plan the shooting, the official said. Crooks unleashed a barrage of gunfire from the roof of a building about 150 meters from the stage where Trump was speaking at the Butler Farm Show grounds.

Additional security in Florida draws criticism

In Florida, some officials in Palm Beach are calling for changes in the security plan around Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club. The Secret Service-initiated indefinite road closure that took effect Saturday.The Palm Beach Police Department said South Ocean Boulevard's closure will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week until at least the Nov. 5 general election. Residents in the area can only enter and exit through the north end of the closure. The roadway is closed to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Palm Beach officials said in a statement that they plan to "pursue legal options to ensure that the road remains open in the absence of the protected person(s) in residence."

"I certainly understand why the Secret Service has reacted that way after the tragedy of last weekend," Mayor Danielle Moore said Friday. "That being said, just speaking of logistics, I have some questions about what the purpose is of closing South Ocean Boulevard when there's nothing out there but water."

− Kristina Webb and Jodie Wagner, Palm Beach Daily News