In a shocking turn of events, former President Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism of the Secret Service's handling of the situation, with former NYPD officer and pro-Trump influencer, John Cardillo, leading the charge.
According to Mediaite, Cardillo, who has previously worked alongside the Secret Service, lambasted the agency for what he termed as "a complete abysmal failure." He expressed disbelief at the circumstances that allowed the gunman to gain a vantage point on a rooftop, just 400 feet from the stage where Trump was speaking. "It defies every security protocol," Cardillo stated, adding that there is "no way to explain it."
The incident unfolded when an armed assailant managed to climb onto a rooftop and open fire on the crowd, grazing Trump and tragically killing a rally attendee before being neutralized by snipers. The Secret Service, in response to the incident, announced an investigation. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has already reached out to the Secret Service for a briefing and extended a formal invitation to Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, to testify voluntarily on July 22.
Cardillo, however, remains critical of the security measures in place at the rally. He argued that it is "unheard of to not have law enforcement personnel on the rooftop." He further elaborated, "The shooter had direct access to Trump from the roof. An easy straight shot from an elevated position. The shooter was in the most advantageous position and Trump was in the most vulnerable."
Trump, who was grazed by the gunfire, was swiftly transported to the hospital. He was discharged shortly after and took to Truth Social to express his gratitude to the Secret Service for their response. Cardillo, however, pointed out the narrow escape Trump had, stating, "If he didnt turn his head, that shot would have been fatal. He is the luckiest unluckiest person alive. He turned his head at that split second. Thats what saved his life or from serious injury. That round could have torn into his skull."
In the aftermath of the shooting, images of Trump, bloodied but defiant, raising his fist to the crowd, have become iconic. Yet, Cardillo views this as another failure of the Secret Service. He argued that Trump was left exposed by his security and should have been evacuated from the stage immediately. "No one in law enforcement thinks this was handled well," Cardillo said, adding, "They should not have let him get his shoes, they should have never let him stop to reassure the crowd. Its mind-blowing how poorly it was handled."
Drawing parallels with the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, Cardillo remarked, "We learned a lot since then. There has been forty years of training. This should not have happened."
The FBI has identified the gunman as 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident Thomas Matthew Crooks and their investigation into the incident is ongoing. As the nation grapples with this shocking event, questions about the security protocols and their implementation remain, casting a shadow over the Secret Service's ability to protect the nation's leaders.
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