The Secret Service is facing criticism from the Trump team for failing to alert them about a suspicious individual with a range finder.
More than 10 minutes after being noticed by a Pennsylvania state trooper, Thomas Matthew Crooks took the stage.
In Butler, Pennsylvania, the former President Donald Trump entered the stage several minutes after his assassin was first tracked by the Secret Service. Trump's team was displeased with the situation.
According to the Washington Post, sources close to Trump said that his security detail became furious after discovering that they were not informed for 30 minutes about a suspicious individual with a range finder near the perimeter of Trump's July 13 rally. This individual turned out to be Thomas Matthew Crooks, Trump's 20-year-old attempted assassin.
Trump arrived in Butler at around 6 p.m., according to reports. Meanwhile, local authorities had first detected Crooks between 5:45 p.m. and 5:55 p.m., as per the Washington Post's timeline of events. Once identified, local law enforcement communicated the threat to Secret Service agents, but it was not shared with Trump's team. Additionally, Trump's team was never informed that local law enforcement counter-snipers had lost sight of Crooks at one point.
The Secret Service did not respond to a request for comment from Planet Chronicle Digital.
The Secret Service's failure to heed the Trump team's repeated requests for additional security measures at the former president's rallies and residences has led to anger from Trump's team, as reported by the Washington Post last week.
In 2021, the Secret Service detail of Trump's former president created an "Intrusion Detection Plan" to secure his Mar-a-Lago golf club in South Florida, where people seeking to harm him have been caught. However, when they requested funds to implement the plan, the Secret Service only provided about 10% of the money that was requested, according to the Washington Post's report last week.
"A former Trump security official revealed to the Washington Post that they did not view their job as protecting his club, but rather protecting him. However, it may be challenging to differentiate between the two."
The Secret Service has invested in security enhancements at the former president's residences, but due to their policies on not disclosing operational tactics, they cannot provide specific funding numbers.
The Trump camp's complaints about security measures have been refuted by Secret Service officials, who claim that the agency has never been tasked with providing such extensive security for a former president. Officials also placed some of the blame on Trump himself, stating that his team's events are particularly difficult to protect. (Washington Post reporting)
After the July 13 assassination attempt, the Secret Service reportedly increased its security measures for Trump, according to anonymous sources who spoke to the Washington Post.
The former president now has bulletproof glass surrounding him during his outdoor rallies, a request he made after the attempted assassination.
The Trump campaign did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment by press time.
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