Secret Service agents assured Butler County law enforcement they would secure the building where Thomas Crooks later shot at former President Trump during a rally on July 13. This information comes from an investigation led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
"Butler County law enforcement officials stated that at separate times during the walkthrough, when they reiterated their concerns to the agents and counter sniper about securing the AGR complex buildings, the agents responded: ‘we will take care of it,’" Grassley's office revealed in a letter to Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.
Trump was shot in the ear at the Pennsylvania rally. One attendee died, and two others were critically injured. It was later discovered the shooter had positioned himself on a nearby building, which was known to law enforcement, who observed him before the event.
Sen. Grassley questioned Rowe on whether the Butler County law enforcement's claim was accurate. He also asked what the Secret Service did to secure the area around the AGR complex buildings.
Grassley mentioned that after the assassination attempt, Rowe testified that local law enforcement "had a plan and had been there before," referring to the roof of the AGR building from which Crooks fired.
But law enforcement officials, in interviews with Grassley’s staff, directly disputed this claim.
The Secret Service agents' commitment to secure the area allegedly came during a walkthrough on July 11, just two days before the rally. Local law enforcement said they raised concerns about the area multiple times during the walkthrough.
Grassley emphasized his ongoing information requests to the Secret Service. He noted at least two of his requests were denied, with claims that "ongoing investigations" prevented a response.
The senator called this unacceptable, stressing Congress’s constitutional authority to conduct oversight. Grassley's investigation covers several incidents, including the July 13 attempt, a plot by Iranian agent Asif Merchant, and a second attempt on Trump’s life in Florida.