The political landscape in America is always rife with drama, but few events carry the weight and gravity of a presidential assassination attempt. The safety of the president—as well as presidential candidates—is a responsibility entrusted to the Secret Service.

However, this group failed at its only mission, when a gunman almost killed Donald Trump this July. The shocking event has become the defining moment of Trump’s campaign—and perhaps his presidential career.

Answers to this unbelievable event, however, are few and far between. Americans are still demanding to know how this man got so close to killing Trump.

Critics have floated wild conspiracies in the wake of real information. The director of the Secret Service resigned in disgrace, leaving Acting Director Ronald Rowe to fend for himself before Congress. Lawmakers called him in for an intense grilling. Unlike his predecessor, Rowe refused to make excuses and pass the buck. What we are learning now shows a shocking lack of planning, skill, and competence from the agency.

From The Hill:
Glaring security failures by the Secret Service allowed a 20-year-old Pennsylvania gunman armed with an AR 15-style rifle to elude law enforcement even after he was seen on campaign rally grounds and identified as suspicious…
> A cascade of mistakes and security gaps amounted to “a failure of imagination,” Rowe told senators…

The shooter’s weapon was not seen before he was on the roof. His access to the roof was not detected until minutes before he fired his weapon. He surveilled the rally with a drone beforehand and was not caught. Secret Service and local law enforcement communications were not in sync. And the gunman’s motive remains unclear.

An Alarming Lack of Competence

In a stunning turn of events, a recent hearing brought to light some serious lapses in the Secret Service’s protection of Donald Trump. The hearing, marked by intense scrutiny and high emotions, delved into the details of an attempted assassination that shook the nation. Acting Director Ronald Rowe provided new details that reveal just how terribly the Secret Service functioned on that fateful day.

During the hearing, the Secret Service admitted to significant mistakes in their handling of the incident. It was revealed that lapses in communication, delays in response time, and procedural errors contributed to the near-catastrophic event. The gravity of these admissions cannot be overstated, as they highlight vulnerabilities that could have had disastrous consequences.

Unpacking the Hearing

Here are the top revelations made in the latest hearing. The biggest might have been a horrible lack of communication between the agency and local police. Rowe admitted that the USSS expected local counter-snipers to protect the warehouse from which the gunman took his shot. They did not. Rowe said the police should have been on the roof—but there was no explanation as to why they weren’t.

On top of this, there were even more unacceptable failures. The gunman’s gun was not seen before he got to the roof. Despite bystanders shouting that there was a man on the roof, law enforcement didn’t bother to detect him before he could shoot at Trump. The gunman even surveilled the rally with a drone beforehand but was not caught.

What about the Secret Service’s drone? Despite having access to drone technology, which would have immediately spotted the gunman, Rowe explained the drone was offline, because of cellular connectivity issues. What the heck—are they on T-Mobile or something? Why isn’t the USSS using some kind of high-tech, bullet-proof cellular service provided by Pentagon satellites or something?

The Truth about the Gunman

Perhaps the most damning failure of the law enforcement community at the moment is its failure to figure out the gunman’s motives. The media has poured over his social media and personal history. Yet law enforcement cannot learn why this 20-year-old man tried to kill a former president. We can assume they interviewed family, friends, and other people who knew him. They probably have access to his private emails and documents—and they still can’t figure this out?

Conspiracy Theories Still Abound

Because the Secret Service failed so miserably, people still push wild speculation. The FBI is unlikely to release what they know—if they are even giving this case serious consideration. That leaves Americans to wonder about the event. Without a clear motive, some will believe the gunman was set up to shoot at Trump. Republicans already think Democrats will stop at nothing to defeat Trump. How many voters now think they were somehow behind this heinous event?

When the Secret Service made obvious mistakes and failed to do its job so badly, such a theory is plausible to many.

Key Takeaways:

• The Secret Service admitted to significant mistakes during the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
• The hearing revealed delays in response time, communication lapses, and procedural errors.
• Public confidence in the Secret Service has been shaken, highlighting the need for improved security measures.

Source: The Hill