Secret Service “Aware of Threat” TEN MINUTES Before Shooting Yet Trump Was Allowed to Take Stage at Butler, PA Rally; Director Cheatle Admits to “Mistakes and Gaps”: Senate Briefing Reports
At least two Republican senators are demanding Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resign following Wednesday’s briefing on the assassination attempt on President Trump where it was revealed the Secret Service was aware of a threat ten minutes before a would=be assassin fired at Trump’s head, yet Trump was allowed to go on stage at Saturday’s rally in Butler, PA.
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At least two Republican senators are demanding Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resign following Wednesday’s briefing on the assassination attempt on President Trump where it was revealed the Secret Service was aware of a threat ten minutes before a would=be assassin fired at Trump’s head, yet Trump was allowed to go on stage at Saturday’s rally in Butler, PA. Trump was miraculously only hit in his ear. However, one supporter was killed and two wounded in the attack on Trump by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. (UPDATE at end: ABC reports Secret Service snipers saw Crooks on the roof twenty minutes before the shooting.)
Cheatle admitted to senators there were “mistakes and gaps” in the Secret Service protection of the Trump rally, reported Juliegrace Brufke of Axios, “the Secret Service is responsible for a no fail mission. This assassination attempt was a failure. I acknowledge that there were mistakes and gaps.”
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told members "the Secret Service is responsible for a no fail mission. This assassination attempt was a failure. I acknowledge that there were mistakes and gaps," according to a source on the call.
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) July 17, 2024
Fox News reporter Aisha Hasnie posted on X Twitter, “Source familiar with Secret Service briefing w/Senators tells me a timeline shared with them reveals SS was aware of a threat about 10 minutes before TRUMP walked on stage and still let him on stage.”
Source familiar with Secret Service briefing w/Senators tells me a timeline shared with them reveals SS was aware of a threat about 10 minutes before TRUMP walked on stage and still let him on stage.
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) July 17, 2024
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) told Hasnie Crooks was IDed as suspicious over an hour before the shooting, “He was identified as a as a character of suspicion, because of saw a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred.”
Sen BARRASSO just told me shooter was ID’d over AN HOUR before the shooting as being suspicious.
"He was identified as a as a character of suspicion, because of saw a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred." https://t.co/DO43JDuwnd
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) July 17, 2024
More from Hasnie in a report on Fox News: The Secret Service had called in to a “center” about the IDed threat ten minutes before Trump went on stage yet he was allowed to go on stage, and that the Secret Service agent charge in Butler was on the phone with state and local police when the shooting occurred.
BREAKING: Shooter Was IDed as a Threat 10 Minutes Before They Allowed Trump on Stage – Per Senate Briefing
The Secret Service had IDed him as a "character of suspicion" more than 1 hour prior. They IDed him as a threat 10 minutes prior to Trump taking the stage. Yet, they… pic.twitter.com/Hzsyj8bSQ2
— As4Me&MyHouse (@4Me_N_MyHouse) July 17, 2024
More from Fox News Radio reporter Ryan Schmelz, “Per a source familiar with the Senate virtual briefing on the Trump shooting: -The FBI has interviewed over 200 people. -Over 14,000 images on Thomas Crooks’ phone have been reviewed — which include arrest photos from mass shootings, images of guns and political figures.”
Per a source familiar with the Senate virtual briefing on the Trump shooting:
-The FBI has interviewed over 200 people.
-Over 14,000 images on Thomas Crooks' phone have been reviewed — which include arrest photos from mass shootings, images of guns and political figures.— Ryan Schmelz (@RyanSchmelzFOX) July 17, 2024
NBC News reported on the briefing, saying Crooks had visited the rally site several days before (excerpt):
The 20-year-old who shot at Trump on Saturday visited the site of the former president’s rally days ahead of the event to scope out the area, two sources familiar with today’s Senate briefing told NBC News.
Crooks was photographed as a suspicious person 62 minutes before he opened fire, and snipers spotted him 20 minutes before the shooting, the sources said.
NBC also reported Eric Trump said Cheatle should resign.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called for new leadership for the Secret Service, “Last week’s near-assassination of former President Trump was a grave attack on American democracy. The nation deserves answers and accountability. New leadership at the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction.”
Last week’s near-assassination of former President Trump was a grave attack on American democracy. The nation deserves answers and accountability. New leadership at the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction.
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) July 17, 2024
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called on Cheatle to resign, “I just got off a briefing with the Secret Service and FBI. I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage. I have no confidence in the leadership of Director Cheatle and believe it is in the best interest of our nation if she steps down from her position.”
I just got off a briefing with the Secret Service and FBI. I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage.
I have no confidence in the leadership of Director Cheatle and believe it is in the best interest of our…
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 17, 2024
UPDATE via ABC News (excerpt):
Law enforcement officials investigating the assassination attempt on Donald Trump told lawmakers Wednesday that 20 minutes passed between the time U.S. Secret Service snipers first spotted the gunman on a rooftop and the time shots were fired at the former president, according to several law enforcement officials and lawmakers briefed on the matter.
Officials said the snipers spotted the suspect, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, on the roof of a building outside the security zone at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, at 5:52 p.m. ET. The shooting happened at 6:12 p.m. ET, 20 minutes later, the sources said.
According to the sources, the timeline presented in the briefing was as follows:
5:10 p.m. Crooks was first identified as a person of interest
5:30 p.m. Crooks was spotted with a rangefinder
5:52 p.m. Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service
6:02 p.m. Trump takes the stage
6:12 p.m. Crooks fires first shotsFrom the time Crooks fired his first shot to the gunman being killed was just 26 seconds, according to law enforcement officials. Eleven seconds after the first shot, Secret Service counter snipers acquired their target — and 15 seconds after that, Crooks was shot dead.
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