The House panel tasked with investigating the two assassination attempts on President-elect Donald Trump released its final report on Tuesday, concluding that the Secret Service needed to make structural changes to prevent future threats.
The House task force’s 180-page report listed out dozens of recommendations for the agency, including increased funding, enhanced training, and the possibility of moving the Secret Service out from under the Department of Homeland Security.
The task force also suggested that, during campaign season, the Secret Service scale back its protection of foreign dignitaries and reallocate those resources to U.S. leaders. The recommendation is aimed at the Secret Service’s role in covering the United Nations General Assembly, which occurs annually in September.
“Congress, DHS, and the USSS should jointly consider the protective role the USSS plays for foreign leaders and consider whether such duties can be transferred or abrogated in order to focus on the USSS’s primary duty,” the task force wrote.
The report marks the final act for the 13-member, bipartisan House panel after it conducted dozens of interviews, reviewed thousands of pages of documents, visited the sites of the two assassination attempts in Butler, Pennsylvania, and West Palm Beach, Florida, and held two public hearings.
The House was one of several entities to investigate the harrowing incident in Butler, in particular.
At a campaign rally there, Thomas Crooks climbed atop a building fewer than 200 yards from where Trump was speaking and opened fire into the crowd. Crooks killed one and injured two, while a bullet grazed Trump’s ear. Crooks was then killed by a countersniper.
The Secret Service’s internal review found that the incident was a historic “mission failure.” The Senate concluded after its investigation that the shooting was “foreseeable” and “preventable.” The DHS inspector general is continuing to conduct his own inquiry into the rally.
The House panel also reviewed a second incident at Trump International Golf Club in Florida, where Ryan Routh was arrested in September after aiming a loaded rifle toward the course while president-elect was golfing. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before he could get a shot off. Routh now faces charges of attempting to assassinate Trump.
The task force found that while the Secret Service “properly executed” its protective plans in Florida, the golf course had “critical vulnerabilities, particularly related to its outer perimeter.” The task force suggested the increased use of K-9s and golf carts in wide, open spaces such as a golf course.
In its final hearing last week, task force Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA) praised acting Director Ronald Rowe for making noticeable shifts since the shooting in July, which had led to the previous director resigning.
However, an exchange during the hearing between Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) and Rowe illuminated that discontent remained among Secret Service agents about the agency’s leadership.
Fallon grilled Rowe about how he was positioned behind Trump and President Joe Biden at this year’s 9/11 memorial. Fallon said Rowe wanted a photo opportunity for himself as he vies to keep his role as the head of the agency, and the accusation led to a jarring screaming match between the two men. Fallon alleged that Rowe endangered Secret Service protectees, including Trump and Biden, because the agent in charge, who was not Rowe that day, was supposed to be standing closest to them. Rowe, meanwhile, shot back that he helped respond to the terrorist attack two decades ago and was at the memorial to represent the Secret Service.
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Fallon told reporters after the hearing outburst that Rowe’s reason was “bull***” and that he had received complaints from rank-and-file agents about Rowe.
Trump has been, according to multiple reports, weighing candidates to lead the Secret Service, signaling he could be preparing to replace Rowe.