WASHINGTON — In the wake of a second assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) unveiled a new, 22-page whistleblower report detailing the failures of the United States Secret Service in connection with the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump.
The Hawley Report has been shared with the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump to supplement their investigation.
CLICK HERE to read the entire Hawley Report.
The Hawley Report’s findings are highly damaging to the credibility of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They reveal a compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.
In addition to a comprehensive review of previous whistleblower allegations that Senator Hawley has uncovered, the Hawley Report includes new findings from whistleblowers that have not yet been reported, including:
- Secret Service intelligence units—teams of Secret Service agents paired with state and local law enforcement to handle reports of suspicious persons—were absent from the Butler rally.
- The hospital site where former President Trump received treatment after the shooting was poorly secured, and the hospital site agent could not answer basic questions about site security.
To date, Secret Service and DHS have provided virtually no answers and there remain many outstanding questions, including:
- Who, within the Secret Service or DHS, made the decision to deny counter sniper coverage to the rooftop from which Thomas Crooks shot former President Trump on July 13?
- When will Secret Service or DHS publicly name the lead site agent for the rally and the lead agent for the Butler visit?
- Did the Acting Secret Service Director ever deny resources to the Trump campaign, or USSS sniper teams, as has been reported in the press?
The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security have all tried to evade real accountability. Their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility. DHS is now reportedly pressuring the Secret Service not to comply with document requests by Congress about the Trump assassination attempt. The American people deserve answers.
As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been a leader in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has personally surveyed the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations assert that agents were discouraged from requesting additional security and note loose security at the Trump rally, abandoned posts on the roof where the shooter was located, and scaled-back security due to the decisions of Acting Director Rowe.
On July 30, Senator Hawley questioned Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director confirmed that the Secret Service did, in fact, refuse drones from local law enforcement—a detail brought to light by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley’s office. Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office by email at tips@hawley.senate.gov or by phone at (202) 224-6154. Whistleblower identities will be protected against disclosure. Tips from federal employees are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302, which prohibits the federal government from taking any personnel action on the basis of a disclosure of evidence of gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or illegal activity.