Bethal Park, Pennsylvania – Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, was critical of the Secret Service’s response to the recent incident involving Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to shoot former President Trump. Lankford, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee, spoke to Fox News Digital about the details of a call with officials from the Secret Service and FBI.
During the call, officials reportedly tried to shift blame onto local law enforcement for not properly securing the area where Crooks was stationed with a rifle. Lankford refuted this, emphasizing that the Secret Service is responsible for coordinating all law enforcement agencies involved in protecting high-profile figures like the president.
The senator also highlighted a crucial error made by the Secret Service in allowing Trump to take the stage despite being aware of a potential threat. Lankford emphasized that the agency should have either confirmed that the individual in question was not a threat or removed them from the vicinity before allowing the president to proceed.
Lankford expressed concerns about the decision-making process that led to Trump being exposed to a potential threat and called for transparency from the FBI and Secret Service regarding their mitigation strategies. He stressed the importance of sharing accurate information to prevent the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
While Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle acknowledged mistakes made by the agency during the incident, Lankford urged for a more detailed account of what transpired and how similar situations would be handled in the future. He emphasized the need for clarity to ensure that false information does not take hold in the absence of accurate reporting.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. Lankford’s remarks underscore the importance of accountability and transparency in the aftermath of security breaches involving high-profile individuals like former presidents.
