Nearly a year after the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Secret Service has suspended six agents without pay for critical security lapses that allowed the attack to occur.
Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn confirmed Wednesday that the suspensions, which ranged from 10 to 42 days, were handed down to agents across various ranks — from frontline personnel to supervisory staff. Upon return, the disciplined agents were placed on restricted duty with limited responsibilities.
“We aren’t going to fire our way out of this,” Quinn told CBS News. “We’re going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation.” He called the Butler attack an “operational failure” and said the agency is “laser-focused” on preventing a repeat.
On July 13, 2024, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire during Trump’s rally, striking the president in the ear, killing one attendee, and injuring two others. Crooks fired eight rounds from a rooftop located roughly 150 yards away from Trump’s position — well outside the secured perimeter.
Investigations by both the House and Senate found that the attack was preventable and pointed to “shocking” lapses in intelligence sharing, situational awareness, and perimeter security. According to those reports:
-
Crooks had been loitering near the rooftop for at least 27 minutes before the shooting.
-
A drone, launched by Crooks, flew just 200 yards from the site before the rally.
-
He used a rangefinder to gauge the distance to Trump less than an hour before opening fire.
-
Local law enforcement warned the Secret Service about the rooftop’s vulnerability — but it was left unsecured.
-
The Secret Service was reportedly aware that Crooks had climbed onto the roof two minutes before he started shooting. Trump was not moved from the stage during that window.
No surveillance drones were deployed by the Secret Service that day, and radio communication between federal and local authorities was minimal.
In response to the catastrophic failure, the agency has since introduced mobile command posts, military-grade drones, and new communication protocols for coordinating with local law enforcement.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned just 10 days after the shooting, following bipartisan calls for her removal and a contentious appearance before Congress. Her resignation came amid growing outrage over how the agency handled warnings and intelligence leading up to the attack.
Despite the incident, President Trump returned to the campaign trail within days and has repeatedly credited divine protection and the quick response of rallygoers and his security detail for saving his life.