Documents obtained from whistleblowers testifying about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump have revealed that the Secret Service provided significantly more resources to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden that same day, bringing into question why agents were diverted after death threats emerged against the former president.
An investigation led by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has so far found that the Secret Service assigned three “post” officers to Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13, or additional detail members responsible for securing a certain segment of the perimeter. In contrast, Jill Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh drew 12 post officers. The disclosure was uncovered as part of Sen. Grassley’s investigation into correspondence within the Secret Service about how to staff both Trump and Jill Biden, who were just 33 miles apart that day.
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Ahead of Kimberly Cheatle’s congressional testimony on Monday, Grassley pressed the Secret Service director for answers in a public letter demanding to know the exact number of security personnel across all federal and local agencies staffing Trump. The request comes after a spokesman for the Secret Service denied that the agency understaffed Trump at a rally where he was shot in the ear by a round from a gunman’s high-caliber rifle.
“My office has received legally protected whistleblower disclosures that include records of communications between and among Secret Service personnel,” Grassley writes. “The records include communications from July 11, 2024, that show First Lady Jill Biden received 12 Secret Service personnel for ‘post standing’ for her event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. Those same communications show that former President Trump received three Secret Service personnel for “post standing” for his event in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. The information does not include a list of Department of Homeland Security HSI personnel or a total list of Secret Service personnel that may have been assigned to former President Trump for the rally.”
“On July 16, 2024, I wrote to the Secret Service and other agencies requesting records and information relating to the monumental security failure that resulted in the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt. As part of my request, I asked for a list of all personnel from all federal agencies present that day.”
“I welcome any additional information you can provide relating to these communications and the total number of federal employees that were present that day,” Grassley concludes.
🚨🚨EXCLUSIVE: Internal Secret Service Docs Show Only Three Post-Standers Allotted to Trump Rally vs. 12 at Jill Biden's Event
Ahead of Secret Service Director Cheatle's Congressional testimony Monday, Sen. Chuck Grassley presses her for answers in a letter sent yesterday,… pic.twitter.com/CuXkf5nZ2Y
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) July 21, 2024
Grassley, a longtime proponent of protections for federal whistleblowers, said the individuals who came forward were “facilitated” by Empower Oversight, a legal firm assisting whistleblowers’ communications to Congress according to RealClearPolitics. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) claimed Friday that whistleblowers also informed him that several members of former President Donald Trump’s security detail were not trained Secret Service members, a significant departure from previous remarks by the agency’s director.
In a letter released on X, the Missouri conservative writes to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas asking why he reportedly authorized DHS officials to replace trained Secret Service agents responsible for securing the travels of President Trump.
“Whistleblowers who have direct knowledge of the event have approached my office. According to the allegations, the July 13 rally was considered to be a ‘loose’ security event. For example, detection canines were not used to monitor entry and detect threats in the usual manner. Individuals without proper designations were able to gain access to backstage areas. Department personnel did not appropriately police the security buffer around the podium and were also not stationed at regular intervals around the event’s security perimeter,” he writes.
🚨🚨 Whistleblowers tell me that MOST of Trump’s security detail working the event last Saturday were not even Secret Service. DHS assigned unprepared and inexperienced personnel 👇 pic.twitter.com/eo4jNmJWFT
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 19, 2024
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