Secret Service Director 'Ashamed' Over Security Failures

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Secret Service’s new acting director said Tuesday he was “ashamed” by the security failures that occurred during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13 at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Ronald Rowe, speaking before a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, said there will be significant adjustments to Secret Service procedures to prevent the mistakes from happening again.

Rowe said he visited the rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania, to get a better understanding of the scene and how Thomas Crooks was allowed to fire numerous shots, one of which clipped Trump’s right ear, while one attendee was killed and two others were wounded.

"What I saw made me ashamed," Rowe told a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees. "As a career law enforcement officer, and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured."

Former Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle resigned last week in the wake of the security lapses.

Since the attempt on Trump’s life, the Secret Service has added other political figures to its protection list, including independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who had long requested to be added since his uncle and father were both assassinated.