In a damning revelation, a Senate report has uncovered critical failures by the U.S. Secret Service that enabled a gunman to fire eight shots at President Trump during a campaign rally last year.
According to the New York Post, the report, released on the anniversary of the July 13, 2024, incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, details how communication breakdowns and inadequate responses contributed to the near-fatal attack.
On that fateful day, the rally in Butler turned chaotic when Thomas Crooks, identified as the gunman, opened fire, targeting President Trump. According to the Senate report, local police had spotted Crooks acting suspiciously and warned a Secret Service agent 25 minutes before the shooting. Tragically, this crucial information never reached the agents protecting Trump on the ground, leaving them unprepared for the threat.
The Senate report, published on July 13, 2025, pointed to a specific Secret Service security room agent as a central figure in the breakdown. This agent was tasked with coordinating communications between local and federal law enforcement, but failed to relay vital updates about Crooks. A Pennsylvania State Police officer even returned to the security room to report that Crooks had been seen on a rooftop, yet this warning was allegedly ignored.
The security room agent provided a conflicting story to the Senate committee, claiming he was never informed about a person on the roof. Additionally, the agent admitted to having no other contact with local law enforcement that day and had not reviewed the operations plan prepared by local officials. This lack of engagement further compounded the security failures, as noted in the report released on the anniversary of the attack.
The Senate report emphasized that the absence of structured communication was the most significant factor in the Secret Service’s shortcomings on July 13, 2024. “The lack of structured communication was likely the greatest contributor to the failures of the USSS on July 13, 2024,” the report stated. This systemic issue left agents unaware of critical developments, directly contributing to the incident’s severity.
Shockingly, the security room agent at the heart of these failures faced no disciplinary action for the oversight. The report revealed that the agent was never informed of violating Secret Service policy and was allowed to retire without incident in June 2025. This lack of accountability has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and observers alike.
While the key agent escaped repercussions, six other Secret Service agents were suspended without pay following the incident. Suspensions ranged from 10 to 42 days, with Myosoty Perez, an agent with three years of experience, receiving the longest at 42 days. Additionally, a junior agent from Trump’s security detail was suspended for 45 days as part of the disciplinary measures.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, expressed frustration over the limited consequences. “Despite those failures, no one has been fired. And we only know what little discipline was handed out because I issued a subpoena. That’s unacceptable,” Paul said. His remarks underscore broader concerns about the Secret Service’s handling of the incident’s aftermath.
A Pennsylvania State Police officer who interacted with the security room agent also voiced concerns about the response. “I got a distinct impression that there’s, like, a lack of urgency,” the officer told investigators, highlighting the agent’s apparent disengagement. This observation aligns with the report’s findings on communication failures during the critical moments before the shooting.
The Senate report did not hold back in its assessment of the Secret Service’s performance on that day. “What happened was inexcusable and the consequences imposed for the failures so far do not reflect the severity of the situation,” the report noted. This strong language reflects the gravity of the lapses that endangered lives at the rally.
The report also outlined the expected responsibilities of a security room agent during such events. “The job of a Security Room Agent is to be the conduit of communications between all entities involved in a protective site in order to ensure situational awareness of all parties involved in securing the event,” it explained. The failure to fulfill this role was a pivotal factor in the security breakdown.
In response to the incident and subsequent reports, the Secret Service announced changes earlier in July 2025 to prevent similar failures. While specific details of these reforms were not outlined in the Senate report, the agency acknowledged the need for improvement. The report released on July 13, 2025, is one of several publications detailing the agency’s shortcomings during the Butler rally.
The events of July 13, 2024, have sparked a broader conversation about the effectiveness of Secret Service protocols during high-stakes events. The multiple failures identified in the Senate report underscore the urgent need for enhanced training and communication strategies. As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring such a breakdown does not happen again. The lack of severe disciplinary action, especially for the security room agent, has raised questions about accountability within the Secret Service. With no firings reported despite the severity of the incident, public trust in the agency’s ability to protect leaders is under scrutiny. Lawmakers and citizens alike are calling for more transparency and stricter consequences in the wake of this troubling event.