Imagine a security team so out of sync that a gunman gets eight clear shots at a presidential candidate—and no one faces serious consequences. That’s the stunning reality laid bare in a Senate report about the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Thomas Matthew Crooks nearly changed the course of history. It’s a story of breakdowns, excuses, and a troubling lack of accountability.
According to New York Post, the report, released on the anniversary of the incident, paints a grim picture of US Secret Service failures that allowed Crooks to fire on then-candidate Donald Trump during the outdoor event.
On that day in Butler, local law enforcement spotted Crooks and tried to sound the alarm, identifying him as a suspicious figure a full 25 minutes before the shots rang out. A Pennsylvania State Police officer even warned a Secret Service security room agent about the suspect and later reported seeing Crooks on a rooftop. Yet, somehow, the agents protecting Trump never received this critical intel.
The security room agent, tasked with being the linchpin of communication between federal and local forces, dropped the ball in a way that’s hard to fathom. According to the Senate findings, this agent didn’t pass on the rooftop sighting and later claimed to the committee that no such warning about a person on the roof ever reached him. It’s a head-scratcher that leaves you wondering if anyone was truly minding the store.
Adding fuel to the fire, the same agent admitted to having zero other contact with local law enforcement that day and hadn’t even glanced at the operations plan local officials prepared for the rally. If that’s not a recipe for disaster, what is? The Senate report nails it as a glaring lack of structured communication—a failure that paved the way for chaos.
“The lack of structured communication was likely the greatest contributor to the failures of the USSS on July 13, 2024,” the report bluntly states. And yet, in a world where accountability seems to be a forgotten virtue, this agent faced no discipline, no reprimand, and quietly retired in June 2025 as if nothing had happened. It’s the kind of outcome that makes you question if anyone in Washington still values responsibility.
Contrast that with the six other Secret Service agents who did face suspensions, ranging from 10 to 42 days, for their roles in the debacle. The harshest penalty, a 42-day suspension, went to site agent Myosoty Perez, who’d only been with the agency for three years. It’s tough not to wonder why the person at the heart of the communication collapse walked away scot-free.
“Despite those failures, no one has been fired,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. That’s a bitter pill to swallow for anyone who believes in consequences for catastrophic mistakes. When a near-tragedy of this magnitude unfolds, shouldn’t the response match the gravity?
“And we only know what little discipline was handed out because I issued a subpoena. That’s unacceptable,” Sen. Paul added. His frustration echoes what many feel: a government agency hiding behind closed doors while the public is left to pick up the pieces of trust shattered by incompetence.
Perhaps most galling is the testimony from a Pennsylvania State Police officer who interacted with the security room agent that day. “I got a distinct impression that there’s, like, a lack of urgency,” the officer told the Senate committee. If local cops could sense the apathy, how did the Secret Service miss the memo on protecting a high-profile figure like Trump?
The Senate report delivers a blunt assessment of the agent’s role, stating, “The job of a Security Room Agent is to be the conduit of communications between all entities involved in a protective site.” When the agent failed to relay critical information, the whole system collapsed—with near-fatal results. This failure serves as a stark reminder that bureaucracy can’t afford to move slowly when lives are at stake.
Even worse, the report calls out the feeble consequences, declaring, “What happened was inexcusable and the consequences imposed for the failures so far do not reflect the severity of the situation.” It’s a polite way of saying the punishment—or lack thereof—is a slap in the face to anyone who expects better from those tasked with safeguarding our leaders. Surely, further action must follow to restore confidence.
On a somewhat brighter note, the Secret Service announced changes earlier in July 2025, claiming it has taken steps to prevent another disaster and address these glaring issues. While the report doesn’t detail the specifics, many hope these reforms directly confront the root causes—like communication breakdowns—that nearly led to catastrophe. Still, skepticism lingers, given the agency’s track record.
This Senate report isn’t the only one that highlights how the Secret Service mishandled the Butler rally; several others have raised similar concerns about systemic failures. These repeated warnings should alarm anyone who prioritizes security over excuses. At the very least, these findings must jolt the agency into action—it simply can’t afford another failure.
In the end, the story of July 13, 2024, doesn’t just focus on a gunman or a rally—it reveals how an institution failed its most basic duty and then refused to hold itself accountable. For those who believe in strong leadership and a no-nonsense approach to safety, this isn’t just disappointing; it betrays the trust placed in those sworn to protect. Let’s hope the next chapter reflects more resolve than the last.
