Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Testifies on Agency’s Response to Trump Assassination Attempt
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe testified on Thursday, revealing the “numerous changes” the agency has implemented following the attempted assassination attempt of President-elect Trump in July in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Rowe acknowledged that the agency’s advance work in preparation for the Butler Farm Show visit “absolutely did not meet the standard expected of this agency.” He emphasized that the agency is working to understand what went wrong, ensure accountability, and prevent such a failure from happening again.
The acting director identified several areas that the agency is working to remedy, including:
* Providing the highest levels of Secret Service protection to Vice President Harris and President-elect Trump throughout the remainder of the campaign
* Increasing staffing levels of Special Agents assigned to former and now President-elect Trump’s protective detail
* Expanding the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for aerial observation at venues
* Implementing agreements with federal partners to support Secret Service protective operations
* Realigning agency technology programs with the appropriate operational entities across the Secret Service
Rowe also outlined his goal going forward, stating that he wants to improve the agency’s mission effectiveness and rebuild public trust. He emphasized the importance of unity of command, intelligence-sharing, and regular assessments of advance procedures and protocols to identify areas of weakness.
The acting director also prioritized mental health and wellness programs for personnel, acknowledging that the stress and pressures of the job can impact decision-making and overall performance.
Rowe concluded by stating that he is committed to ensuring that the Secret Service never has a failure like this again, and that he is working to implement the necessary changes to prevent such an event from occurring in the future.