Six Secret Service agents who were on duty during the assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally last year have received suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, according to the agency.
The Secret Service has not disclosed the identities of the agents or the specific reasons for their suspensions.
A shooter opened fire at Mr. Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13 of last year while the candidate was addressing the crowd.
The shooter accessed a nearby rooftop, providing a direct line of sight to the former president.
In an upcoming interview airing Saturday on Fox News, Mr. Trump criticized the Secret Service for failing to position an agent on the rooftop and for not including local police in the communication system.
“Mistakes were made, and that shouldn’t have happened,” Mr. Trump stated during the interview conducted by his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who hosts her own show on the channel supportive of the former president.
Mr. Trump remarked that the elite protective service “had a bad day.”
The Republican candidate, whose ear was grazed by a bullet while speaking at the election rally in Butler, noted that the would-be assassin had access to a “prime building” overlooking the event.
One bystander was killed and two others, alongside Mr. Trump, were wounded before a counter-sniper fatally shot the gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.
Mr. Trump noted, “The sniper was able to hit him from a long distance with one shot. If he hadn’t acted, it could have been an even worse situation.”
He praised the sniper, saying, “His name is David, and he did a fantastic job.”
Reflecting on the investigation and “the larger plot,” Mr. Trump expressed satisfaction, saying, “It was unforgettable.” He recounted the tension of the situation, stating, “I didn’t know exactly what was happening.”
“I got hit, no question about that. Fortunately, I managed to get down quickly. People were screaming.”
Secret Service Director Sean Curran, who was in charge of Mr. Trump’s security detail at the rally, issued a statement saying, “The agency has taken numerous steps to ensure such an incident will not happen again.”
The Secret Service reported that it has implemented 21 of 46 recommendations made by congressional oversight bodies.
Sixteen additional recommendations are in progress, while nine were not directed at the Secret Service, the agency stated.
The Secret Service also mentioned that it is putting protective measures in place for golf courses.
Following the Butler assassination attempt, a man armed with a gun was found hiding near a Trump-owned golf course in Florida with intentions to kill the then-Republican presidential candidate.
