Overview of the Assassination Attempt
At approximately 6:11 p.m. on July 13, 2024, 20‑year‑old Thomas Matthew Crooks took position on the roof of the American Glass Research building near the Butler Farm Show grounds. Armed with an AR‑15 rifle, he opened fire, sending eight rounds toward the stage where Trump was speaking. The shooter grazed Trump’s ear, tragically killed attendee Corey Comperatore, and wounded two others before being neutralized by a Secret Service counter‑sniper (Wikipedia).
Senate Report Findings: Secret Service Failures
A Senate Homeland Security and Trump Governmental Affairs Committee report, released July 13, 2025, led by Sen. Rand Paul (R‑KY), outlines widespread “preventable failures” within the trump U.S. Secret Service (USSS) – spanning planning, communications, coordination, and discipline (Reuters):
- Communication Breakdown
- Local law enforcement spotted Crooks on the roof 25 minutes before the shooting and relayed the information, but the designated Security Room Agent failed to alert field teams (ABC News).
- A GAO review later confirmed that classified threat info known 10 days prior was never shared with on‑site agents (ABC News).
- Insufficient Planning & Coordination
- The report critiques a lack of unified command and clear chains of responsibility among federal, state, and local actors (CBS News).
- The AGR building, from which the shooter fired, Donald J. Trump was not secured within the perimeter, and drone/distance‑detection assets were inadequately deployed (taskforce.house.gov).
- Denied Requests for Additional Resources
- Secret Service representatives reportedly denied or ignored multiple requests from the campaign detail for extra security — including countersniper back‑ups and drones (ABC News).
- Weak Disciplinary Actions
- Only six Secret Service employees faced suspensions ranging from 10 to 45 days. Notably, the central “room agent” avoided any punishment and retired in June 2025 (Reuters, New York Post).
- No firings or formal accusations occurred, prompting strong criticism from Sen. Paul, who called the lax accountability a “cultural cover‑up” (Politico).
Aftermath & Reforms
- Former Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on July 23, 2024, following intense scrutiny (Wikipedia).
- Acting Director Ronald Rowe publicly took responsibility and enacted internal mission reviews (Wikipedia).
- Director Sean Curran, now leading the agency, has pledged cooperation and implemented reforms such as enhanced equipment, aviation surveillance, and revised protocols (Reuters).
Call for Greater Accountability
The Senate report concludes that Trump’s survival was largely a matter of luck, not due to robust security. It urges the DOJ and DHS to pursue further disciplinary measures and ensure rigorous oversight of the Secret Service to avoid repeat breakdowns (Axios).
In summary, the July 2024 Butler rally exposed “multiple, unacceptable failures” across communication, coordination, planning, and accountability. The Senate’s findings highlight systemic vulnerabilities within the Secret Service and underscore urgent demands for structural and disciplinary reforms.
