Six Secret Service Agents Suspended Without Pay After Trump Assassination Attempt Incident

Following an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in July, the Secret Service issued suspensions for six individuals without pay, according to an agency official. The attempt occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear.

The suspended personnel included both supervisory and line-level agents, with suspensions lasting between 10 to 42 days. The exact timing of these formal suspensions remains unclear.

The suspensions were the result of an investigation into the events surrounding the assassination attempt. Among those placed on leave was the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office, responsible for coordinating security with local law enforcement ahead of the rally where the shooting occurred.

Shortly after the incident, concerns about security failures emerged, as lawmakers from both political parties questioned how a 20-year-old gunman could target Trump and also kill firefighter Corey Comperatore, an act classified by federal officials as potential domestic terrorism. In the wake of the attempt, Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position as director of the Secret Service amid widespread calls for her resignation.

She took “full responsibility for the security lapse.” Before stepping down, Cheatle indicated that there was only a brief window between when the gunman was identified as suspicious and when he began shooting.

A Senate briefing revealed that agents had spotted the gunman on a rooftop 10 minutes before Trump appeared on stage. In December, a House task force released a report that made nearly a dozen recommendations for improving Secret Service protocols.

The report concluded that the Butler shooting was “preventable,” although it pointed out there wasn’t a singular failure by the agency. However, the task force did commend the Secret Service for its effective response to a subsequent assassination attempt in September, highlighting how well-executed protective measures can thwart such threats.