
A recent report from The New York Times has revealed shocking details about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Secret Service snipers observed the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, nearly two minutes before he fired at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Despite heightened security due to Iranian threats, a serious breach occurred, nearly costing Trump his life.
According to the NYT, three videos posted on social media captured the events leading up to the shooting. The first video, taken six minutes before shots were fired, shows a Secret Service sniper and a spotter focusing north toward the eventual shooter. As Trump began his speech, the spotter was looking directly at him.
A second video, starting one minute and 58 seconds before the gunman fired, shows the Secret Service team looking through binoculars and a sniper scope toward Crooks. An attendee can be heard saying, “Uh-oh, something’s going on.” This video coincided with another clip on Facebook showing rallygoers pointing law enforcement toward someone on the roof.
The third video shows another sniper team turning from south to north, facing the gunman, one minute and 35 seconds before the shooting. This team crouched and aimed their weapons but did not fire. Later footage shows this second team in the same position when the shots were fired.
These revelations have raised serious questions about the security measures in place at the rally. The rooftop where Crooks was positioned, less than 200 yards from Trump, was reportedly never cleared. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stated the rooftop was left unguarded because its slope made it unsafe for sniper teams.
This failure to secure the rally area has drawn significant criticism. Initial reports incorrectly claimed Trump’s security detail requested additional resources from Biden’s Department of Homeland Security, but those requests were actually related to the Iranian threat. Despite increased security, the breach allowed Crooks to graze Trump’s right ear, narrowly missing a fatal headshot.
The incident has left many questioning how such a significant lapse in security could occur and what measures will be taken to prevent future breaches.