Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, was among several Republican legislators who responded to acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe’s press conference on Friday regarding the assassination attempt on former President Trump during a rally in July. Lee expressed his belief that there is more to the situation than what Rowe relayed to the press.
“It is evident that the American public has yet to receive the complete narrative,” Lee stated to Fox News Digital. “From the outset, attendees at the rally and those capturing footage on their phones appeared more committed to halting the shooter and understanding what transpired than the Secret Service itself. It is astonishing that more officials have not faced repercussions.”
Lee mentioned that he would “persist in pressing” the Secret Service regarding “this outrageous failure.”
Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., remarked that there was “clearly a cover-up.”
TRUMP RALLY VIDEO SUPPORTS SECRET SERVICE ‘FAILURE’ AFTER FIGURE SPOTTED ON ROOF PRIOR TO SHOOTING: ACTING DIRECTOR
Acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe responds to reporters during a news conference Friday. (Fox News )
“I do not believe acting Director Rowe was forthcoming; the government seldom admits to mistakes,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “I suspect Rowe knows exactly who was accountable for this significant security lapse, and it is undeniably a cover-up. We require an extensive investigation and transcribed interviews to reveal the truth.”
According to a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 30% of Americans feel extremely or very confident in the Secret Service’s ability to ensure the safety of presidential candidates following Trump’s assassination attempt.
Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., expressed to Fox News Digital his appreciation for Rowe’s decision to hold the press conference.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, speaks during a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It’s clear that this was a monumental failure on the part of Secret Service and DHS leadership, whose primary duty was to protect President Trump during this rally,” Scott stated. “Since the shooting, we’ve received new information from external sources, but nothing from the agencies tasked with investigating this failure. Therefore, I commend acting Director Rowe for updating the American public during today’s press conference, and I encourage him to continue doing so.”
He also mentioned that the FBI must take similar actions.
“If we don’t start holding daily press conferences, rumors and conspiracy theories will thrive, and legitimacy will inevitably be lost,” he warned. “The American public is left with unanswered questions, and they seek assurance that accountability measures are being enacted for the acknowledged failures.”
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., shared with Fox News Digital his gratitude for Rowe’s willingness to engage with the media on Friday. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Senator Josh Hawley, R-Miss., responded on social media Friday to a reporter’s claim that Rowe insisted the Secret Service was unaware the shooter had a gun until he opened fire.
“However, the Secret Service was IN CHARGE of this event and local law enforcement,” Hawley posted on X. “The USSS’s ignorance regarding occurrences over nearly *two hours* at their own event is inexcusable.”
TRUMP SHOOTING: CHRONOLOGY OF THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
During the press conference on Friday afternoon, Rowe provided updates on the investigation surrounding the unfortunate Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, asserting that the Secret Service accepts “full responsibility” for the security “failure” when Thomas Matthew Crooks discharged a weapon towards Trump.
Former President Trump was shot in the ear while speaking at a rally in Butler, PA, on July 13. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
A rally attendee, Corey Comperatore, lost his life in the shooting, while two others sustained critical injuries.
“The Secret Service accepts full accountability for the tragic occurrences of July 13. This was a failure of our mission. Our agency’s sole obligation is to ensure our protectees are never endangered. We fell short in Butler, and I am actively working to ensure this type of failure does not recur,” Rowe stated on Friday.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., remarked that he believes there is “clearly a cover-up.” (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He assured his full cooperation with congressional oversight investigations and the independent review mandated by President Biden. The Secret Service is also undertaking its own internal examination.
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“If any policy violations by Secret Service personnel are identified during the agency’s mission assurance review, those individuals will face repercussions, and they will be subject to our fair and comprehensive disciplinary procedures,” Rowe remarked.
Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
