Staff Reports
The latest episode of political theater in America, featuring an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, has exposed the Secret Service’s spectacularly embarrassing failures. The irony of this dreadful event is that while the agency was probably busy updating its “How to Fail at Protecting a President” handbook, a man actually managed to take aim at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
July 13 turned into a surreal nightmare when a shooter, using a drone to scout the event, unleashed chaos. The Secret Service’s technology was about as useful as a wet paper towel in this high-stakes situation. There was a radio transmission alert regarding the shooter, which one would assume is pretty crucial during a life-threatening event, but shockingly enough, the message never made it through. Without a functioning communication line, officers were left scratching their heads while the situation spiraled into mayhem.
Four technological failures that contributed to Trump assassination attempt https://t.co/slRzKdC22c
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 2, 2024
It gets even better. Not only did the Secret Service neglect to pick up on the red flags of drone activity, but they also turned down an offer to use surveillance drones for the event. This begs the question: Were they too busy trying to figure out the optimal angle for their selfies to realize they could use a little help from technology? A former Secret Service officer, Chris DeMunbrun, cited the agency’s notorious sluggishness in adopting new technology, indicating that they might still be using flip phones while evildoers are flying drones overhead. One can only assume he resigned out of pure frustration with the agency’s epic failure to keep up with the times.
The consequences were severe: Trump got shot in the ear, a fire chief lost his life, and several others were injured amid the confusion. This incident certainly doesn’t help the narrative about political violence being a bipartite issue — it’s becoming glaringly clear that Democrats are not the only ones concerned about the ways things are degenerating into chaos. But the Secret Service, of all agencies, should have been on top of its game.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. admitted that the agency could have likely prevented this disaster if they had better technology and communication systems in place. There’s a statement that will give you a good night’s sleep. Rowe noted the sleepless nights (joining many concerned Americans) while facing congressional inquiries that continue to pound the agency for its multiple failures. This would have been a perfect moment for the Secret Service to finally dust off those technological tools, but alas, it seems that’s asking too much of a bureaucratic agency that’s more concerned with budgets than results.
So while America grapples with the fallout from this shocking event, one thing is abundantly clear: the Secret Service is about as effective at protecting its principals as a chocolate teapot. The agency’s performance during the incident has revealed a dire need for reform and innovation because, in this ever-more dangerous world, the lives of our leaders truly depend on it.
