Two years after a gunman opened fire on Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, security failures that nearly cost him his life remain under scrutiny amid later alleged plots and reported threats against the former president. The incident on July 13, 2024, occurred as Trump was speaking about illegal immigration when gunshots erupted from a nearby building.
Secret Service agents immediately rushed Trump offstage. The gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight shots, killing firefighter Corey Comperatore who was shielding his family, and wounding two other men. A Secret Service sniper subsequently killed Crooks. In the immediate aftermath, Trump emerged from the protective huddle and raised his fist, leading the audience in chants of "U-S-A!" as he exited the stage.
A recent report from the Office of Inspector General found that the U.S. Secret Service "missed multiple opportunities" to prevent or disrupt the assassination attempt due to communication failures and other security lapses. The report indicated that the Secret Service’s overall lack of policy and processes, coupled with limited intelligence sharing and poor collaboration with protectee staff and law enforcement, created conditions that allowed for missed opportunities.
Specifically, the inspector general's report noted a failure to warn Trump's protective detail that Crooks was armed with a rangefinder and a long gun and had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby building. These findings come as two men injured in the Butler shooting have sued the federal government over alleged preventable Secret Service failures.
Trump's security has continued to be a focus since the Butler incident. In September 2024, authorities arrested Ryan Wesley Routh near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, with a rifle. Federal prosecutors subsequently charged this incident as an attempted assassination of Trump. Earlier this year, an alleged assassination attempt occurred at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, where a shooter reportedly attempted to breach the ballroom.
The renewed focus on threats against Trump coincides with escalating geopolitical tensions. Reports this week indicated that Israeli intelligence had warned U.S. officials about an alleged new Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. In response, Trump issued a warning on Friday that the United States would "decimate and destroy" Iran if Tehran carried out such an attempt. The U.S. Secret Service has not directly commented on these specific reports. The White House was contacted for comment.