In a high-tension interview with Sean Hannity, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley disclosed startling details about the recent attempt on President Trump’s life.
Accusations of ineptitude, lack of collaboration, and a serious disregard for security measures have been directed at the Secret Service and other federal entities responsible for the President’s protection.
Sean Hannity: Tell us what these whistleblowers are telling you that is most alarming to you.
Josh Hawley: Well, one thing is that most of the detail assigned to Trump that day, into that rally, were not Secret Service. Most of them were from other federal agencies, including Homeland Security. And, Sean, they weren’t prepared.
They didn’t know what the procedures were. They did not have the site locked down. They were not adequately patrolling the perimeter. As you just said a moment ago, they were leaving huge gaps.
Whistleblowers have also revealed that unauthorized individuals were being allowed onto the premises without proper screening. There was a lack of monitoring regarding who had access around the stage. It’s truly shocking, Sean.
On Friday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, seeking clarification regarding the attempted assassination attack on President Trump at his recent Pennsylvania rally. Senator Hawley expressed concern after receiving information from whistleblowers alleging that the security officials present at the rally were predominantly from the Homeland Security Investigations team rather than trained Secret Service personnel.
“Whistleblowers who have direct knowledge of the event have approached my office. According to the allegations, the July 13 rally was considered to be a ‘loose’ security event. For example, detection canines were not used to monitor entry and detect threats in the usual manner. Individuals without proper designations were able to gain access to backstage areas. Department personnel did not appropriately police the security buffer around the podium and were also not stationed at regular intervals around the event’s security perimeter.
“In addition, whistleblower allegations suggest the majority of DHS officials were not in fact USSS agents but instead drawn from the department’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This is especially concerning given that HSI agents were unfamiliar with standard protocols typically used at these types of events, according to the allegations.”
In his interview with Hannity, Hawley disclosed that he had traveled to the location of the attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania.
While there, Hawley met with local authorities and conducted a thorough inspection of the building from which an unidentified sniper reportedly tried to assassinate President Trump.
His visit revealed that the roof, from which the alleged sniper had taken aim, was only slightly sloped and remarkably close to where Trump had been standing during the rally.
WATCH:
Here’s my view of the scene where President Trump was shot. Big question: why wasn’t the building where the shooter fired from included in the security perimeter? It’s incredibly close, with a clear line of sight pic.twitter.com/r1n7cnaH0q
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 20, 2024
The whistleblowers uncovered that the perimeter was not being patrolled with canines as required, resulting in significant security gaps.
Furthermore, it was revealed that individuals were entering the grounds without proper monitoring, with no oversight of access to the stage area.
Hawley also uncovered that law enforcement officers were operating on separate communication channels and lacked coordination. He believes that someone should be held accountable for this failure.
Local authorities expressed frustration at being unfairly blamed for the incident, asserting that they fulfilled their duties and followed Secret Service instructions.
Following the incident, the FBI has increased security at the site. However, when Hawley visited, he was asked to leave by FBI officials who insisted he had no business being there.
An excerpt from the interview is provided below:
Josh Hawley: Well, I can tell you, Sean, I saw it today. Ahead of the Senate committee hearings on this, I went to see it myself. I went to the grounds, I went to the site because, frankly, I don’t trust the FBI and the Secret Service to give us the real story. I want to see it myself. And you are right, that roof, it’s hardly pitched at all. It’s at a slight slant.
And I’ll tell you this, Sean, I couldn’t believe how close it is to where Trump was. I stood right where Trump stood, looked over at that building. I mean, it is 100, 150 yards max. It is a clear line of sight from where President Trump was to that building.
And the whistleblowers there, Sean, what they have told me is unbelievable. It’s that they were not patrolling the perimeter with canines as they were supposed to do. They were not patrolling the crowd. They weren’t adequately keeping the area around the stage safe. And, of course, we know that they didn’t have eyes on that roof and that building. It’s unbelievable.
[…]
And having been there today myself, I can tell you it is so close. That building where the shooter fired from is so close to where Trump was. The idea that you could have all of this time elapsed and nobody notices, no law enforcement notices he’s on the roof.
One other thing, Sean, whistleblowers tell me that law enforcement were actually on different channels, different radio communication channels. There were multiple different channels, and they weren’t coordinated. Sean, it’s a total disaster. Somebody needs to resign for this.
[…]
I tell you what, Sean, what local authorities told me here today, I talked to local law enforcement, and what they told me is they are angry that they’re getting unfairly blamed. What they told me is, well, listen, we did our job. We did what we were asked to do.
The Secret Service wasn’t prepared. They didn’t give clear instructions. Locals are saying, don’t roll this over onto us. You should take some responsibility, Secret Service, and they should. And your point about Ukraine is right.
We can spend how many billions on Ukraine, but we can’t protect an American president? I mean, what’s going on around here? We’ve got to get the facts, Sean. And I tell you what, I won’t rest until we get them.
[…]
Sean, when I went to the site, the FBI has got more security on that site now than they did the night that Trump was shot at. A little late. I mean, the FBI, totally late. They’re trying to control the information. Sean, they tried to kick me off of the site. They said, ‘Get out of here. You shouldn’t be on the site. We don’t want you here. Get out of here.’
They are trying to control the information. Absolutely. They brought local cops, Sean. Get this, I’m there on site. I had permission from the local security operator to be there, and the FBI came out and said, ‘You have got to leave. We do not want you here.’ That’s what they’re trying to do.
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