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The attempted assassination of Donald Trump spotlights a significant operations failure by the Secret Service, leaving the former president vulnerable to gunfire in a security breach that will likely tarnish the agency’s reputation further than ever before.
Key questions about the shooting remain unresolved, but the fact that the 20-year-old gunman managed to scale a roof about 200 yards from where Trump was speaking has already prompted calls for a thorough investigation, especially when you include the fact that attendees had pointed out the shooter a few minutes before he opened fire.
The formal inquiries into the shooting, which resulted in the death of a rally attendee and injuries to Trump, will examine how the U.S. can protect dignitaries amidst bitter political polarization.
In the aftermath, lawmakers from both parties and law enforcement experts have pointed out apparent oversights that contributed to the incident. Immediate scrutiny will fall on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who will face congressional investigators while the FBI conducts its investigation. Cheatle, formerly the Senior Director of Global Security at PepsiCo, needs to address these critical security lapses.
We want to ask you, the reader: should Secret Service be investigated following the assassination attempt? Answer in our poll below and comment your thoughts on if Secret Service is ultimately to blame for the failures in protocol.
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