Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jul 13: The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a damning report blaming the Secret Service for failing to prevent the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The report, requested by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, cited poor planning, lack of internal communication, and untrained agents among key reasons for the breach.

The attack, which took place during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, left one person dead and two injured. Trump survived with a minor bullet wound, while the gunman was killed by a Secret Service sniper.

According to the report, the agency had prior knowledge of a potential threat but failed to share critical classified information with field agents and local law enforcement. It highlighted how internal "siloed" practices and poor cellphone connectivity further hampered response.

Grassley criticized the Biden administration for denying enhanced security for Trump at the time. “This failure was the result of years of mismanagement,” he said, adding that the newly passed $1.17 billion One Big Beautiful Bill Act would help address these lapses.

Six agents have since been suspended for up to 42 days over their roles in the security breakdown. The GAO has recommended sweeping policy changes to ensure such failures are not repeated.