In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Secret Service has pointed fingers at local law enforcement for failing to secure the area adequately. The incident, which occurred at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, has raised serious questions about the coordination between different security agencies.
U.S. Secret Service spokesman, Anthony Gugliemi, emphasized that local police were informed that they would be responsible for securing areas outside of the event perimeter.
Local police, however, have pushed back against these claims saying that “Secret Service always has the lead on securing something like this.”
Reports from residents surrounding the rally location have added context to the lack of security measures taken. One resident, Valerie Fennell, said, “Nobody contacted me. Nobody. Nobody called me, nobody stopped here. I kinda was thinking that as close as my house is, that I honestly thought this might be part of a command station at some point.”
Fennell said that she was not alone. “I was talking to my neighbors yesterday, and none of them had gotten a call. Or anything,” Fennell explained.
The assassination attempt has not only intensified the scrutiny of security measures but also sparked a blame game between the Secret Service and local police. As investigations continue, the focus remains on identifying the gaps in security that allowed the incident to occur. Both agencies are under pressure to improve their coordination and ensure such lapses do not happen in the future.
