Shortly before an attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, alert rallygoers reportedly noticed a man climbing to the top of a nearby building and urgently warned local police.
A local police officer, responding to the rallygoers’ warning, climbed to the roof and encountered Thomas Crooks, the would-be assassin. Crooks immediately pointed his rifle at the officer, forcing the officer to retreat down the ladder. As the officer made his way down, Crooks quickly took a shot aimed at former President Trump. “That’s when Secret Service snipers shot him.”
The Secret Service’s inadequate response to the incident, coupled with the local police department’s arrival at the rooftop first, has triggered intense scrutiny of their leadership and operational effectiveness.
Former Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder Erik Prince sharply criticized the Secret Service’s response to the recent assassination attempt on the former President. Prince pointed to the events in Butler, PA, as a clear example of how extensive and inefficient organizations, like the Secret Service and the FBI, can fail to protect Americans during critical moments.
Prince argued that Trump survived not because the Secret Service was brilliant but because of luck. The would-be assassin made an error in estimating the wind, which caused the bullet to miss Trump’s forehead and hit his ear instead. Prince strongly criticized the Secret Service for allowing a rifle-armed shooter to get within 150 yards of a highly secured event. He condemned this as either malicious intent or gross incompetence on their part.
The Secret Service is tasked with securing all potential “sniper perches” long before the protectee arrives. This includes maintaining security personnel and drone surveillance on nearby rooftops and buildings. However, in Butler, PA, this critical protocol was evidently overlooked. Secret Service snipers were only positioned on the building directly behind the venue stage, leaving other potential vantage points unguarded.
Prince also pointed out that the shooter had “adequate uncontrolled space” to move into position and take multiple aimed shots. According to Prince, the short time lapse between the crack of the arriving bullet and the boom of the muzzle blast in newsreels indicated how close the shooter was.
The law enforcement sniper, whose affiliation with the US Secret Service remains unclear, appeared visibly flustered, as evidenced by his hesitation to engage the shooter and his struggle to maintain his aim. It was evident that they were monitoring the shooter, but it appears they adhere to a strict “no first shot” policy.
Prince pointed out that the assailant managed to fire off at least five rounds, wounding Trump and killing or severely injuring others in the crowd before a Secret Service sniper eventually shot him from 488 yards away.
Prince blamed the incident on the Secret Service for their inability to establish a secure perimeter. He also criticized their chaotic efforts to remove Trump from the scene after the gunfire, leaving him dangerously vulnerable to potential further attacks. Prince emphasized that merit and execution should be the primary factors in hiring and leadership rather than social engineering priorities or DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) principles. Prince hopes for a thorough investigation into the incident, urging accountability for what he sees as a widespread failure in protecting Trump, arguing that they failed in almost every way.
He urged Americans to come together and run a proper, valid election to restore a merit-based society that judges on character and skill. Prince emphasized that nothing else should matter.
Prince’s wish is coming true. The House Oversight Committee, led by James Comer (R-Ky.), plans to conduct hearings to thoroughly examine the incident. The hearings will begin the week after the Republican National Convention. The committee intends to ask Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear at a hearing scheduled for July 22nd. They seek detailed insights into the events.
