Former President Trump's actions after assassination attempt at rally were a security failure.
Trump stood tall, gave fist pumps, and yelled instead of being kept low as standard protocol dictates.
Former President Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania on July 15, 2024, was marked by an assassination attempt that left many questioning the security measures in place. The Secret Service, responsible for protecting the former president, has come under scrutiny for their handling of the situation.
According to multiple sources including former and current Secret Service agents and experts, Trump's actions after the shooting were a serious operational failure that endangered his life and those of his protectors. Instead of being kept low with his head down as standard protocol dictates, Trump stood tall, gave fist pumps, and yelled
Former President Donald Trump’s security detail had complained about not receiving enough resources and personnel from the Secret Service over the past two years.
The Secret Service acknowledged denying some requests for resources but provided other security measures instead.
Concerns about how a sniper obtained rooftop access near Trump’s position at a rally in Pennsylvania have been raised.
Accuracy
]Former President Donald Trump's security detail had complained about not receiving enough resources and personnel from the Secret Service over the past two years.[
Trump stood tall, gave fist pumps, and yelled ‘Fight, Fight, Fight!’ to the crowd before being moved off the stage after an assassination attempt.
Deception
(30%)
The article reports on the Secret Service denying resources and personnel requests from Trump's security team over the past two years. This is an example of selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position without mentioning any potential counterarguments or context that may explain why these requests were denied. The article also implies that these decisions came from the top ranks of the agency, but it does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
The news comes amid widespread concerns about how a sniper was able to obtain rooftop access roughly 150 meters from Trump’s position at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last week.
Some close to the former president felt the decisions, which they believed were personal to Trump, came from the top ranks of the agency.
Fallacies
(90%)
The article reports on the Secret Service denying some security requests from Trump's team and provides quotes from sources familiar with the situation. However, it also states that the Secret Service made modifications to ensure Trump's security and utilized state or local partners when certain resources were not provided. This information contradicts each other, creating a potential ambiguity fallacy. Additionally, there is an appeal to authority in the form of quotes from sources familiar with the situation and statements from the Secret Service.
][The news comes amid widespread concerns about how a sniper was able to obtain rooftop access roughly 150 meters from Trump’s position at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last week].[][Some close to the former president felt the decisions, which they believed were personal to Trump, came from the top ranks of the agency.][][In response to questions over whether the Secret Service had denied additional security requests, a spokesperson told CNN the agency makes ‘modifications’ when certain resources are not provided to protectees.][][This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.][][Cheatle will likely face questions over these issues during her testimony this week before several committees in Congress over the security failures that led to the assassination attempt.]
Bias
(95%)
The author, Kristen Holmes, uses language that depicts the Secret Service's denial of resources to Trump as a personal decision from the upper ranks of the agency. This implies a negative bias towards Trump and his security team.
Some close to the former president felt the decisions, which they believed were personal to Trump, came from the top ranks of the agency.
This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.
Former Secret Service agents and experts criticized Trump’s actions after assassination attempt for endangering his life and those of his protectors.
Trump stood tall, gave fist pumps, and yelled ‘Fight, Fight, Fight!’ to the crowd before being moved off the stage after an assassination attempt.
Standard protocol is for protectee to be kept bent over at waist with head down and fully surrounded by agents as they are whisked off stage for safety.
Former Secret Service Director John Magaw and deputy director A.T. Smith criticized the protective detail’s performance in getting Trump off the stage after shots were fired.
Current and former Secret Service officials conceded that unexpected actions from protectee can make execution of plans challenging in moment.
The Secret Service sends an advance team to scout the venue and meet with the candidate’s staff three to five days before an event.
The advance team consists of a mix of agents with assigned tasks, including a designated lead agent.
Planning for presidential candidate campaign events typically involves several specialized and senior agents strategizing, assessing and approving a detailed protection mission behind the scenes.
Accuracy
]The Secret Service sends an advance team to scout the venue and meet with the candidate's staff three to five days before an event.[
Local law enforcement officials were present but not assigned to secure the area outside of the Secret Service’s perimeter
The gunman was able to shoot from a warehouse about 450 feet from the podium
Accuracy
The gunman used a nearby warehouse as his vantage point, which was not secured by local law enforcement
None of the local law enforcement agencies interviewed reported being given responsibility for watching the zone outside the Secret Service’s security perimeter
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when the district attorney, Richard Goldinger, states 'I am going to defend those guys, because it wasn't their job to secure the building.' This statement implies that since local law enforcement was not assigned the duty of securing the building, they should not be held responsible for its security. However, this does not logically follow and is an appeal to authority fallacy as it relies on Goldinger's assertion that it was not their job without providing any evidence or reasoning to support this claim.
I am going to defend those guys, because it wasn’t their job to secure the building.
