Under increasing pressure for a huge security failure, the US Secret Service pledged on Monday, 15 July 2024 to work with an independent review after allowing a shooter to open fire on Donald Trump. The 78-year-old former President was hurt but survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. A brazen incident that stunned a nation already polarized ahead of the November election.

Kimberly Cheatle, the Agency Director, said in a statement, “The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, State, and Local Agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent something like this from happening again. We understand the significance of the independent review announced by President Biden on 14 July 2024 and will cooperate fully. We will also collaborate with the appropriate Congressional Committees on any oversight action,” Cheatle added.

Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when several explosions rang out. He held his ear, blood trickling down his cheeks as the bullet grazed his ear and ducked to the ground as Secret Service personnel swarmed onto the podium, surrounding him and hurrying him to a nearby vehicle.

Biden ordered a thorough security evaluation at the rally as well as during this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump will be declared the Party’s Presidential Candidate.

The Secret Service has come under fire for allowing a shooter armed with an assault weapon to take position on a roof about 500 feet (150 meters) away from one of the world’s most protected political figures. The doubts got louder when phone footage showed witnesses seeing the gunman on the roof and attempting to tell security before he opened fire. With Trump scheduled to attend the convention on Monday, Cheatle said the agency was working to tighten security.

According to her statement, “The Secret Service Agency designs operational security plans for National Special Security Events (NSSE) to be dynamic to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence from our partners, and announced on Sunday, 14 July 2024 that it was fully prepared for the convention.”

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