GAO Report Identifies Major Failures by Secret Service Ahead of Trump Rally Shooting

Watchdog finds senior agents withheld classified threat intelligence days before Butler, Pennsylvania attempt; six agents suspended

A new Government Accountability Office report reveals serious lapses by the U.S. Secret Service in the lead-up to the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.

The agency reportedly received classified intelligence about a potential threat ten days before the rally but did not share the information with the field office, advance team, or local law enforcement, citing “compartmentalized practices” that limited dissemination unless a threat was deemed imminent .

The report also highlights further security shortcomings, including the assignment of an inexperienced site agent responsible for vulnerability assessments at a large outdoor event, malfunctioning drones, and communication failures among agencies .

In addition, local officers reportedly observed the shooter on a rooftop more than ninety minutes before gunfire erupted and alerted federal partners, but no preventative action followed .

The attempted assassination wounded Trump with a grazing shot to his upper right ear, killed volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, and injured two others before a Secret Service counter‑sniper neutralized the shooter .

Following the incident, six Secret Service agents received suspensions ranging from ten to forty‑two days, although no firings were reported .

The agency’s director stated reforms and implementation of GAO recommendations are already underway .

The shooting spurred congressional scrutiny.

A bipartisan Senate committee and a House task force both issued interim findings concluding that the attack was preventable, identifying failures in perimeter security, resource allocation, coordination, and communication protocols .

Further investigation by the FBI determined that the shooter, twenty‑year‑old Thomas Matthew Crooks, acted alone and had no links to foreign actors .

The GAO report underscores critical deficiencies in Secret Service procedures and recommends expanded intelligence sharing, improved training, and enhanced operational coordination to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future protective missions.