Staff Reports
In a recently uncovered calamity, local law enforcement officials in Butler, Pennsylvania, repeatedly extended an offer to the Secret Service for drone coverage to enhance security during Donald Trump’s rally on July 13. Surprisingly, the Secret Service turned down those offers, which raises eyebrows and prompts outrage from Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. He has made it abundantly clear in a letter to Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas that the agency’s refusal may have put Trump’s safety at risk.
Reports indicate that the assailant used a drone to scout the rally site before launching an attack. FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed the drone incident during recent testimony, stating that the shooter was actively operating his device just two hours before Trump took the stage. Suddenly, the question arises: Why did the Secret Service neglect to employ their own drones? With threats looming over the event, this incompetence seems downright reckless.
LE whistleblower says Secret Service chose not to use a drone despite it being offered to them.
"According to one whistleblower, the night before the rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure… pic.twitter.com/TXDoRyXtNR
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) July 26, 2024
Hawley shared that a whistleblower revealed the Secret Service’s astounding rejection of repeated offers from local police to utilize drone technology. This refusal is baffling, especially considering the agency had access to tools that could have bolstered security efforts significantly. Instead, they allowed the would-be assassin to fly a drone over the venue just hours before the event took place. It’s almost as if they were more concerned about paperwork than protecting a former president.
As if the complete disregard for security wasn’t enough, Hawley noted that the drones offered could not only identify potential threats but could also assist in neutralizing them. This glaring oversight is made even more shocking by the fact that after the attack occurred, the Secret Service suddenly decided they needed those drones – just a little too late, it seems. The agency found itself scrambling to rectify its initial blunders after the aftermath of the shooting revealed how vulnerable they allowed Trump to be.
Hawley has laid down the gauntlet, demanding that Mayorkas turn over all relevant communications regarding drone arrangements by the looming deadline of August 1. The responses from the Secret Service have been nothing short of troubling, with admissions of their failure to fulfill basic requests for enhanced security measures. This ongoing cover-up hints at a deep-seated incompetence that should have conservatives fuming. In a country facing serious challenges like border invasions, rising crime rates, and runaway inflation, the last thing taxpayers want is to see their dollars go towards an agency that allows political figures to be target practice while dismissing overtures for improved safety measures.
If there was ever a moment to question the effectiveness of federal agencies, this is it. The American people deserve an explanation for how this monumental security blunder worsened a volatile situation and almost resulted in tragedy. As the nation braces against rampant shortcomings from the government, it’s time to demand accountability, and perhaps a little less bureaucracy and a lot more common sense when it comes to the protection of our leaders.
