On Friday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe following new whistleblower allegations that call into question Acting Director Rowe’s testimony regarding the denial of additional security assets for former President Trump’s event in Butler, Pa.
“[O]fficials at Secret Service headquarters encouraged agents in charge of the trip not to request any additional security assets in its formal manpower request—effectively denying these assets through informal means,” wrote Senator Hawley.
He continued, “These new allegations suggest that CSD personnel, counter-sniper teams, and other critical security assets were not included in the manpower request for the Butler trip because Secret Service officials told the requesting agents that they would be denied. […] Yet you have repeatedly suggested that no security assets had been denied for the Butler event. You must explain this apparent contradiction immediately.”
As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has continued to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has personally surveyed the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations 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. He has also called for the lead site agent for the Butler rally to be suspended. Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office.
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.
Read the full letter here or below.
August 23, 2024
The Honorable Ronald L. Rowe, Jr.
Acting Director
U.S. Secret Service
245 Murray Ln SW, Building T-5
Washington, D.C. 20223
Dear Acting Director Rowe,
I have received new whistleblower allegations that again call into question your recent testimony before the Senate. One whistleblower with knowledge of Secret Service planning for former President Trump’s trip to Butler, Pennsylvania alleges that officials at Secret Service headquarters encouraged agents in charge of the trip not to request any additional security assets in its formal manpower request—effectively denying these assets through informal means. Yet you have repeatedly suggested that no security assets had been denied for the Butler event. You must explain this apparent contradiction immediately.
According to the whistleblower, the lead advance agent for a protectee trip typically submits a “manpower request” to the local field office. This normally includes the number of personnel and other security assets needed for the event and is submitted to the U.S. Secret Service’s Office of Protective Operations – Manpower (OPO – Manpower) for final approval. According to the allegations, officials within this office preemptively informed the Pittsburgh field office that the Butler rally was not going to receive additional security resources because Trump is a former president and not the incumbent President or Vice President. According to the whistleblower, the manpower request did not include extra security resources because agents on the ground were told not to ask for them in the first place.
Importantly, these resources included counter-sniper teams and Counter Surveillance Division (CSD) personnel. According to public reports, counter-snipers were ultimately approved, but only the day prior to the event—leaving them an insufficient amount of time to conduct a proper site assessment. I have previously written you about a separate whistleblower’s allegations to my office that personnel from CSD would have handcuffed the gunman in the parking lot after he was spotted with a rangefinder, but they were not present on the day. You stated in an August 2 press conference that CSD personnel support former presidents’ details “when requested.” But these new allegations suggest that CSD personnel, counter-sniper teams, and other critical security assets were not included in the manpower request for the Butler trip because Secret Service officials told the requesting agents that they would be denied.
These allegations come despite your testimony to the contrary before the Senate on July 30. When asked whether former President Trump’s team had been denied resources, you stated: “If you’re talking about Butler, Pennsylvania, all assets requested were approved.” You also stated directly to me that you have been “very transparent and forthcoming” with Congress. But according to the allegations, you did not tell the full story.
Your actions to place some field agents on leave are not enough. These serious allegations suggest that the failures to protect the former president extended to top officials at the agency. You must answer the following questions immediately, and publicly:
- Who, within OPO – Manpower, informed the Pittsburgh field office and/or the agents in charge not to include additional security assets in the manpower request because they would be denied? Has that individual(s) been disciplined?
- Which specific security assets were left out of the manpower request for the Butler trip at the prompting of Secret Service officials?
- Did you have personal knowledge that Secret Service officials had told the Pittsburgh field office to leave out additional security assets from the Butler manpower request when you testified before the Senate?
- Please provide a copy of the manpower request submitted to OPO – Manpower for the Butler trip.
Sincerely,
