A recent forum at The Heritage Foundation shed light on the multiple failures of the Secret Service on the day of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. Former Secret Service Special Agent Dan Bongino suggested that the layered incompetence of the agency may indicate a more sinister intent.
The forum, led by Reps. Cory Mills and Eli Crane, was part of an independent investigation into the assassination attempt. Bongino, along with other witnesses, including Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL officer, and Ben Shaffer, a Washington Regional SWAT operator, answered questions about the events surrounding the attempt on Trump’s life.
According to Shaffer, the Secret Service declined several resources that could have aided in their protection efforts, including encrypted radios and a drone offered by local law enforcement. Instead, agents relied on cell phones for communication, which can be prone to technical difficulties. Additionally, the agency failed to attend a morning briefing, did not attempt to secure access to the roof used by the shooter, and did not investigate a nearby water tower that could have posed a vulnerability.
Rep. Mills questioned Bongino about the series of failures, asking if they could be attributed to mere incompetence. Bongino responded that while a single mistake could be written off as ignorance, the repeated failures suggested a more deliberate intent.
Bongino drew on his experience working in the Secret Service under previous administrations, stating that the agency was not politicized during his time. However, he noted that recent comments from agents in charge of Trump’s detail suggested that the agency may be making decisions with a political bias.
Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL officer, testified that the security failures on July 13 would have allowed any terrorist organization to successfully assassinate Trump. “A Hezbollah team, or ISIS, or any other terrorist organization that knows what they’re doing, would have been successful that day,” Prince said.
The forum was the first in a series of investigations by House Republicans into the assassination attempt. Rep. Mills emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, stating that the American people deserve to know what happened.
