Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, has raised serious concerns about security failures at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Hawley, in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, relayed claims from whistleblowers within the Department of Homeland Security who allege that the majority of the security detail for the former president were not actual Secret Service agents. The whistleblowers also alleged that the rally was considered a ‘loose’ security event, with lapses in protocol including a lack of personnel, inadequate buffer zones, and the absence of detection canines.
Hawley pointed out that the majority of the security personnel were from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) department, rather than the Secret Service, raising concerns about their familiarity with standard security procedures. He also criticized the Department of Homeland Security for failing to provide Congress with information about the incident and for abruptly ending a briefing with the Secret Service before senators could ask questions.
Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, echoed Hawley’s concerns, describing the Senate briefing as providing ‘virtually no information’ and lacking in detail. While the Secret Service Director, Kimberly Cheatle, admitted to mistakes and gaffes, the briefing was deemed ‘largely irrelevant’ by Johnson.
Hawley’s letter demands answers to a series of questions related to the security failures, including the ratio of Secret Service agents to HSI agents and pre-rally security investigations. The allegations have raised concerns about the Secret Service’s handling of security at high-profile events, particularly in light of the recent assassination attempt against former President Trump.
