An independent panel of former law enforcement officials appointed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recommended a complete overhaul of Secret Service leadership following security failures that nearly led to the assassination of Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. The panel criticized the agency for its culture of “do more with less” and highlighted a lack of critical thinking among agents during the lead-up to the incident. They called for a change in leadership to address the complacency within the agency.
Led by individuals such as Mark Filip and Janet Napolitano, the panel described the Secret Service as bureaucratic, complacent, and static despite evolving risks and technology. They emphasized the need for new perspectives in leadership to address the issues identified in their report. The current acting Director, Ronald Rowe, was not directly named in the recommendation for leadership change, but comes from within the ranks of the agency. The call for leadership replacement was aimed at addressing the underlying cultural issues within the Secret Service.
The panel heavily criticized the agency for failures in securing the Butler rally site, including the lack of line-of-sight blockades, not securing the buildings the shooter accessed, and not responding to reports of the shooter as a suspicious person before the incident. They highlighted a lack of critical thinking among personnel responsible for security that day. The panel recommended that the agency shed some non-security related responsibilities, such as investigative work, to focus on their protective mission.
The Secret Service’s failure to adequately ramp up Trump’s security after learning of an assassination threat from a foreign state actor was also noted by the panel. They expressed skepticism about the agency’s non-protective missions contributing meaningfully to their protective capability. In addition, the report identified a lack of experience among those leading site security at the rally, with some agents lacking sufficient training and background for such responsibilities.
Communication failures between the Secret Service and local law enforcement officers during the Butler rally were also addressed in the report. The panel highlighted the need for a more integrated communication system and noted that remedies for these issues had been recognized and implemented in the past after the September 11 terrorist attacks. While praising agents for their bravery in protecting Trump after the incident, the report emphasized that courage alone is not enough to fulfill the Secret Service’s protective mission and prevent security failures in the future.
