New Secret Service director ‘ashamed,’ ‘cannot defend’ Trump shooting

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe struck a different tone from his predecessor Tuesday, telling a meeting of dual Senate committees he was “ashamed” by the attempted assassination of former President Trump and was prepared to be candid with lawmakers.

In his opening statement before the Senate’s Judiciary Committee and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Rowe said he visited the site of the July 13 rally where the shooting occurred and lay on the roof Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from.

“I laid in a prone position to evaluate his line of sight. What I saw made me ashamed. As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured to prevent similar lapses from occurring in the future,” he told lawmakers.

“I directed our personnel to ensure every event site security plan is thoroughly vetted by multiple experienced supervisors before it is implemented. It is clear to me that other protective enhancements could have strengthened our security,” he said, a nod to the Trump campaign’s request for additional protective personnel that day.

Tuesday marked Rowe’s first time testifying to Congress since taking the helm of the Secret Service last week.

Rowe said he’s already directed the agency to use drones to assess sites, and is working to improve communication after local law enforcement struggled to alert Secret Service to Crooks, despite identifying him as suspicious about 90 minutes ahead of the shooting.

He added he is also not aware that any countersnipers or members of Trump’s personal security detail were aware of the shooter, but he added there would be consequences for any member of the Secret Service found to have acted inappropriately.

“If this investigation reveals that Secret Service employees violated agency protocols, those employees will be held accountable to our disciplinary process,” Rowe said.

The new leader also said he was prepared to release more details about the shooting to Congress, a departure from former Director Kimberly Cheatle, who infuriated lawmakers by refusing to answer many questions posed by the House, citing an ongoing investigation.

“I will not wait for the results of those findings to assess where we failed that day,” Rowe said. 

“I have taken and will continue to take immediate steps to ensure we do not repeat those failures.”