The assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally was described by Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle as the agency’s “most significant operational failure” in decades, AP News reports.
During a congressional hearing, Cheatle accepted full responsibility for the security lapses and vowed to prevent any recurrence. Lawmakers criticized the Secret Service for allowing the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, to get so close to Trump. Cheatle faced tough questions about the lack of agents on the roof and the absence of drone surveillance. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and several lawmakers have called the incident a “failure,” with some demanding Cheatle’s resignation.
Crooks, who was seen acting suspiciously before the rally, climbed a nearby building and fired, injuring Trump and two attendees. He also had explosive devices in his car. Investigators are still searching for a motive but have found no clear ideological reason for his actions. This incident is the most serious assassination attempt on a US president or candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
