Secret Disservice: Top Officials Were Aware of 'Classified Threat' 10 Days Before Butler Assassination Attempt, Failed to Tell Agents Guarding Trump
The Secret Service received a 'threat' before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump's life.
July 13 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Senior-level officials of the Secret Service knew about a "classified threat" against President Donald Trump ten days before a near-fatal assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to the Government Accountability Office, the agency's failure to disseminate this crucial intelligence to the agents responsible for Trump's security significantly endangered his life.
The Trump Assassination Attempt
The motive behind Trump's assassination attempt still remains unclear.
During the chaotic events of July 13, 2024, when Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, Secret Service agents were reportedly in the dark concerning an imminent danger that had been classified as "highly sensitive". This oversight raises alarm bells about operational practices within the agency tasked with protecting high-profile individuals, particularly the President of the United States.
The GAO's report indicates that the critical intelligence concerning the threat was provided to Secret Service officials well in advance of the rally.
Shedding light on a troubling bureaucratic hurdle that compromised security measures, the report cited: "The Secret Service had no process to share classified threat information with partners when the information was not considered an imminent threat to life."
The Report
Crooks was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper moments after firing at Trump.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who released the report, emphasized the critical failures present during the Butler rally.
He stated: "One year ago, a series of bad decisions and bureaucratic handicaps led to one of the most shocking moments in political history."
The senator denounced the Secret Service's inability to communicate effectively about the existing threat and noted that the agency had "multiple opportunities to share this information" leading up to the rally, yet failed to do so repeatedly.
Security Measures
Crooks attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13.
As the GAO report details, local law enforcement and personnel responsible for developing security measures were also left unaware of the threat. The agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office confirmed that he did not receive any information about the looming danger.
The report revealed: "If he had received the threat information, he would have requested additional assets, such as ballistic glass, additional drone mitigation, and a full counter-sniper advance team, among other assets."
The failure to share this intelligence has resulted in significant consequences. Six Secret Service agents have been suspended due to their roles in the security mishap related to the Butler assassination attempt.
Critics of the agency have pointed to a pattern of mismanagement that jeopardizes national security and hurts the credibility of a service meant to protect key public figures.
Thomas Matthew Crooks
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Thomas Matthew Crooks has been described as ‘a ghost who kept to himself’.
Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop at Trump and rally-goers, ultimately wounding Trump and congregants while tragically killing firefighter Corey Comperatore.
In light of this critical report, Grassley emphasized the importance of its findings not only as a record of mistakes but as a roadmap for improvement.
Calling attention to the urgent need for reform within the agency, he said: "More importantly, this report offers a clear path forward for the Secret Service to improve, so it can prevent another Butler from ever happening again.".
The report further illustrates how, amid a critical national security event, the structure within the Secret Service left agents relying on their varying levels of experience, rather than concrete plans and informed collaboration. It noted that the agents assigned to this significant event were not required to review operational plans from local law enforcement, which could have resulted in a missed opportunity for improved security.
