Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt

Local Pennsylvania police officers were reportedly denied entry to a Secret Service command center during a recent rally where former President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt.

In the aftermath of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, local police officers have expressed frustration over being denied access to a crucial command center operated by the Secret Service. According to Republican Tennessee Representative Mark Green, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, this lapse in communication represents a serious failure in coordination between local and federal law enforcement.

Representative Green, along with other bipartisan members of the committee, inspected the rally site on Monday to assess the situation firsthand. Local police informed the lawmakers that they had been excluded from the Secret Service command center, which is typically a hub for communication and coordination among law enforcement agencies involved in securing an event.

Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt

"Normally, according to the local sheriff, they have done these events in the past with Secret Service and always had one of their people in that Secret Service control room. Apparently, that was not allowed this time for some reason," Representative Green stated after the tour.

Former NYPD commanding officer and Fox News legal analyst Paul Mauro explained that a command center serves as a central hub where representatives from all law enforcement agencies involved in an event can meet and streamline communication. Typically, the highest-ranking members of each agency are stationed at the command center to make critical decisions, Mauro said.

Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt

During Trump's rally in Butler, the command center was set up under a tent. A USSS spokesperson acknowledged that the agency is responsible for ensuring the safety of its protectees and is committed to fully cooperating with ongoing investigations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

However, Republican Representative Mark Green expressed concern that some members of Congress were able to access the roof that the attacker had occupied without any protective gear. Additionally, he noted that a water tower overlooking the rally site was not utilized by law enforcement for security purposes.

Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt

Republican Pennsylvania Representative Mark Kelly, who represents the area where the rally occurred, echoed these concerns, questioning why President Trump was allowed to approach the podium if there were indications of a potential threat.

In light of these revelations, Representative Green and other lawmakers are demanding the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. They believe that the agency's failures significantly contributed to the security breach at the rally, leading to the shooting of an attendee and injuries to others.

Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt

The Secret Service director testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, where she faced questions regarding potential consequences for personnel involved in the incident. However, she did not provide a clear answer on whether individuals would be held accountable for their actions.

Federal law enforcement continues to investigate the motivations of the attacker, who remains in custody. The incident has raised significant concerns about the security protocols in place for high-profile individuals and the need for improved coordination between law enforcement agencies at such events.

Local Police Denied Access to Secret Service Command Center at Trump Rally Assassination Attempt