GET THE APP
Thursday, July 17, 2025

Tag: Assassination
August 23, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024
NatSec

Multiple U.S. Secret Service Agents Put on Leave After Trump Shooting Fiasco.

Multiple agents with the United States Secret Service (USSS) have been placed on leave, according to the agency. The move comes as the USSS continues to investigate the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.

According to the USSS, at least five agents have been temporarily removed from duty—including the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office and at least one member of Trump‘s protective detail. Over the past month, multiple members of Congress have pressed the USSS’s leadership on whether any agents had been placed on leave, removed from duty, or even fired over the attempted assassination. However, until now, the agency has refused to give a public answer as to the status of its agents.

The decision to place agents with the Pittsburgh Field Office on leave likely indicates the local agents will bear the brunt of the blame for the security failures that resulted in 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks being able to fire eight rounds at former President Trump. One struck Trump in the ear, while two other rallygoers were wounded, and Trump supporter Corey Comperatore was murdered.

The suspensions come as the USSS continues its internal investigation into the matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is conducting a parallel criminal investigation.

Despite the increased scrutiny of the USSS, lapses have continued even after the assassination attempt. The National Pulse reported last week that a USSS agent was caught in a secure area breastfeeding her baby with uncleared family members just prior to former President Trump speaking at a rally in North Carolina.

Meanwhile, a USSS counter-sniper warned late last month that unless serious changes are made in agency leadership, security lapses—and potential assassinations—are likely to occur in the future.

show less
Multiple agents with the United States Secret Service (USSS) have been placed on leave, according to the agency. The move comes as the USSS continues to investigate the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. show more
August 16, 2024
William Upton
News

‘Troubling’ – Trump Shooter’s Body Was Swiftly Cremated.

Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) is criticizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for its decision to release Thomas Matthew Crooks’ body to his family for cremation shortly after Crooks’ attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. The congressman expressed his concerns over the agency’s actions in a report to the July 13 Task Force, a bipartisan committee investigating security lapses related to the incident.

Higgins disclosed that Crooks’ body was handed over for cremation 10 days after the shooting. He learned of this development while in Butler, Pennsylvania, conducting his investigation at the rally site. The congressman described this decision as an obstruction to further investigation, noting that even local law enforcement and the county coroner were unaware of the body’s release until August 5.

Higgins underscored the difficulties this posed for verifying the coroner’s report and autopsy. He emphasized that while reports and photographs exist, their accuracy could not be confirmed through an examination of Crooks’ body.

“Please note, Mr. Chairman, that on J23, the day that Crooks was cremated, both the Homeland Security Committee and the Oversight Committee had begun House Committee jurisdictional investigation into J13, and Speaker Johnson had already stated that he was forming an Official Congressional investigative body,” Higgins wrote in his report, adding: “Why, then, by what measure, would the FBI release his body to the family for cremation? This pattern of investigative scorched earth by the FBI is quite troubling.”

Higgins also scrutinized the FBI’s handling of the crime scene, stating the agency released it after just three days, a decision he found unusual. The report notes that the FBI’s cleanup efforts included the removal of biological evidence, an action atypical for law enforcement. Several first responders voiced surprise and concern over the crime scene‘s early release, Higgins added.

show less
Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) is criticizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for its decision to release Thomas Matthew Crooks’ body to his family for cremation shortly after Crooks' attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. The congressman expressed his concerns over the agency's actions in a report to the July 13 Task Force, a bipartisan committee investigating security lapses related to the incident. show more
August 15, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024
News

Secret Service Agent Was Breastfeeding Baby as Trump Arrived for Event.

Security and professional lapses continue to plague the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), with the latest incident involving a female agent abandoning her post during former President Donald J. Trump‘s rally in North Carolina. The agent was found in a secured space reserved for USSS emergencies, using the area to breastfeed her child.

Compounding the matter, the site agent—a supervisor in charge of the overall site security plan—found the agent alongside family members who had been able to bypass Uniformed Division security checkpoints. Additionally, the agent and her family were accompanied by an event staffer whom the USSS did not clear to be present in secured areas.

According to USSS protocols, an agent on duty is not allowed to be accompanied by a child. Nor are uncleared family members allowed to accompany an agent into secured areas—especially before a major event involving a protectee. It is believed the agent who left her post to breastfeed was not part of former President Trump‘s regular security detail but rather an agent from the Atlanta, Georgia, field office.

In the aftermath of the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, some have pointed to the overuse of inexperienced USSS agents from the Pittsburgh field office as a contributing factor in the massive security lapse. Additionally, the substitution of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers for USSS agents is also blamed for the breakdown in protection. It is unclear what role, if any, DHS staff played in the North Carolina rally.

show less
Security and professional lapses continue to plague the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), with the latest incident involving a female agent abandoning her post during former President Donald J. Trump's rally in North Carolina. The agent was found in a secured space reserved for USSS emergencies, using the area to breastfeed her child. show more
August 8, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

NEW: Bodycam Vid Shows Cop Carnage in Aftermath of Trump Shooting.

Newly released police body camera footage shows the frantic moments after a local Butler, Pennslyvania, law enforcement officer was boosted onto the roof of the American Glass Research building and confronted would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks.

The video sheds new light on the actions taken by local police and lack of communication from the United States Secret Service (USSS) just before Crooks opened fire on the nearby campaign rally, striking former President Donald J. Trump in the ear, wounding two others, and killing rallygoer Corey Comperatore.

After being boosted onto the roof, the police officer briefly makes contact with Crooks and then drops back to the ground after assessing that the 20-year-old would-be assassin is armed with a rifle. The officer then retreats to his patrol vehicle to retrieve a high-powered rifle while coordinating with other local law enforcement on the radio. He informs his fellow officers that he was able to assess that Crooks was armed, carrying a backpack, and was “kitted out.”

The footage reveals the officer aggressively directing other law enforcement to the American Glass Research building rooftop, demanding they get eyes on Crooks. He describes the 20-year-old as having long hair and wearing glasses. Throughout the six minutes of footage, local police can be heard frantically coordinating a search for Crooks and attempting to get units on the rooftop.

At no point can the USSS be heard speaking the local police with or acknowledging the situation as it unfolded—strongly suggesting a breakdown in communications left former President Trump’s security detail unaware. During a recent Congressional hearing, USSS acting director Ronald Rowe, Jr. admitted that agency protocols may have prevented timely communication with local police.

While law enforcement was eventually able to place officers on the roof, they were unable to prevent Crooks from opening fire.

WATCH: 

show less
Newly released police body camera footage shows the frantic moments after a local Butler, Pennslyvania, law enforcement officer was boosted onto the roof of the American Glass Research building and confronted would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks. show more
Purchased by The National Pulse
August 7, 2024
William Upton
Crime
Immigration
NatSec

REPORT: Pakistani National Tied to Iran Charged With Plotting to Assassinate Trump.

A Pakistani national has been charged in federal court with plotting to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump and other public officials. Federal prosecutors allege the man, named as Asif Merchant, flew to the United States from Pakistan with the intention of hiring hitmen to carry out an attack on Trump and other U.S. lawmakers. Prior to the trip, the suspect is believed to have spent extensive time in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Merchant’s arrest, which occurred last month, became public after criminal filings were unsealed in a New York federal court on Tuesday. The complaint against Merchant does not mention Trump by name. However, an ABC News report confirms that the America First leader was the plot’s intended target.

The National Pulse reported on July 17 that federal law enforcement acknowledged they were aware of an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump before his near-assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said at the time they had received human-sourced intelligence regarding the plot. It now appears that human-sourced intelligence was likely an FBI confidential informant—mentioned in the unsealed complaint—who had made contact with Merchant.

Iran has sought to assassinate Trump and other U.S. officials in response to a September 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed one of the Islamic Republic’s top military commanders, Qassem Soleimani. In March of this year, the FBI’s Miami Field Office announced that it was seeking information about an Iranian intelligence officer, Majid Dastjani Farahani, in connection to alleged assassination plots against current and former U.S. government officials that Iran believes are responsible for Soleimani’s death.

While the Iranian plot was foiled, former President Trump was shot in the ear by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks’ motives for the assassination attempt have not been made public.

show less
A Pakistani national has been charged in federal court with plotting to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump and other public officials. Federal prosecutors allege the man, named as Asif Merchant, flew to the United States from Pakistan with the intention of hiring hitmen to carry out an attack on Trump and other U.S. lawmakers. Prior to the trip, the suspect is believed to have spent extensive time in the Islamic Republic of Iran. show more
August 4, 2024
NatSec

Secret Service Withheld Intel on ‘High Potential’ for J6 Violence.

The United States Secret Service (USSS) had intelligence suggesting a “high potential for violence” before the January 6 Capitol riot but did not share this information with agents protecting then-President Donald J. Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence, or Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, according to a report released to Congress on Thursday. The report, from Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, was publicized under pressure from Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), revealing significant lapses within the agency.

Additionally, the report claims the USSS failed to properly utilize explosive detection tools at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters on January 6. This oversight led to Harris‘s motorcade coming within 20 feet of an undetected pipe bomb.

The Homeland Security Inspector General report states that traditional explosive detection measures were not fully deployed; only canine teams conducted building sweeps. Even after the bomb was found, the USSS failed to report the building’s evacuation as an unusual protective event.

ECHOES TRUMP RALLY FAILURES.

The report describes these failures as reflective of deeper systemic issues within the USSS. It includes six recommendations for improvement in communication, training, and security tactics, which were presented to USSS leadership in April, months before the assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennslyvania.

Inspector General Cuffari’s findings also suggest tension between his office and USSS supervisors, who disputed some conclusions. Communication problems, faulty security sweeps, and inadequate threat identification, which were issues leading up to January 6, were identified again in the later rally incident. A significant point was the Protective Intelligence and Assessment Division’s failure to incorporate indicators of potential violence into final assessments for VIP protection.

The report also noted the inadequacy of security sweeps at the DNC, which did not cover the area where the pipe bomb was planted. USSS personnel showed “differing interpretations” of security protocols, compounding the problem. Additionally, there was no proper report of Harris‘ evacuation as an unusual protective event despite it meeting the criteria for such a designation.

show less
The United States Secret Service (USSS) had intelligence suggesting a "high potential for violence" before the January 6 Capitol riot but did not share this information with agents protecting then-President Donald J. Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence, or Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, according to a report released to Congress on Thursday. The report, from Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, was publicized under pressure from Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), revealing significant lapses within the agency. show more
Purchased by The National Pulse
August 1, 2024
Election 2024
TECH

Big Tech Bias: Meta’s AI Claims Trump Was Not Shot.

An artificial intelligence (AI) assistant developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, inaccurately claimed that former President Donald J. Trump was not shot earlier this month, fueling leftist conspiracy theories over Trump’s attempted assassination. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg called Trump‘s immediate reaction to being shot “badass” and inspiring, a statement which contradicts the company’s AI assistant.

In a blog post on Tuesday, Meta’s global head of policy, Joel Kaplan, attributed the AI’s error to its tendency to “hallucinate,” a term used within the industry to describe the generation of false information. “Like all generative AI systems, models can return inaccurate or inappropriate outputs, and we’ll continue to address these issues and improve these features as they evolve and more people share their feedback,” Kaplan claimed.

Meta decided to suppress its AI assistant’s ability to provide information on the incident involving Trump in reaction to massive criticism. Facebook previously censored the iconic photo of Trump raising his fist after being shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, falsely labeling it an altered image.

Meta is not alone in grappling with AI inaccuracies. Google also faced backlash for its AI’s failure to properly handle news about the assassination attempt, leading to claims of censorship. Users noted earlier this week that Google searches for information on the attempted assassination of former President Trump refused to autofill.

Tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk suggested, sarcastically, that it may just be a coincidence that executives at Google’s parent company, Alphabet, are top donors to Democrats.

show less
An artificial intelligence (AI) assistant developed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, inaccurately claimed that former President Donald J. Trump was not shot earlier this month, fueling leftist conspiracy theories over Trump's attempted assassination. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg called Trump's immediate reaction to being shot "badass" and inspiring, a statement which contradicts the company's AI assistant. show more
July 31, 2024
William Upton
News

New Video Shows Would-Be Trump Assassin Moving Freely On Roof in Plain Sight.

New footage taken on the phone of Trump rally shooting victim James Copenhaver appears to show the would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks moving across the nearby rooftop just moments before he opened fire. Former President Donald J. Trump was struck in the ear while Copenhaver and another man were wounded. Ralleygoer Corey Comperatore was killed by the gunfire while shielding his family.

The video, taken at 6:08 PM on July 13 as Trump speaks on stage, shows the individual, believed to be Crooks, maneuvering across the gently sloped roof for over a minute. At 6:11 PM, Crooks opened fire. The footage raises further questions regarding United States Secret Service (USSS) protocols and why the former President wasn’t removed from the stage when Crooks was in clear view of rallygoers and security personnel alike.

On Tuesday, an email surfaced authored by a USSS counter-sniper claiming agency supervisors tied the hands of agents on the ground at the rally. “We’ve exposed our inability to protect our leaders due to our leadership,” the USSS sniper said.

In addition, acting USSS director Ronald Rowe, Jr. testified before a Senate joint-committee hearing, stating he was ashamed of the agency’s failure in Butler, Pennslyvania. “What I saw made me ashamed,” Rowe said, adding: “As a career law enforcement officer and a twenty-five-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured.”

Last week, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Christopher Wray acknowledged to Congress that the would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to fly a drone over the rally site and live-stream footage to himself and possibly others. This occurred just hours before Trump took the stage.

WATCH:

show less
New footage taken on the phone of Trump rally shooting victim James Copenhaver appears to show the would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks moving across the nearby rooftop just moments before he opened fire. Former President Donald J. Trump was struck in the ear while Copenhaver and another man were wounded. Ralleygoer Corey Comperatore was killed by the gunfire while shielding his family. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I know many of you agree with me – President Trump should not be 100% reliant on the government for his personal protection
for exclusive members-only insights
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I know many of you agree with me – President Trump should not be 100% reliant on the government for his personal protection show more
for exclusive members-only insights
July 31, 2024
NatSec

Secret Service Acting Director ‘Ashamed’ of Failures Before Trump Assassination Attempt.

U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. claims the agency is undergoing a series of reforms following its near-disastrous failures before the shooting of former President Donald J. Trump. “What I saw made me ashamed,” Rowe said of his findings at the site of the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, which saw Trump hit in the ear, two rallygoers badly injured, and another rallygoer killed.

Speaking at a joint hearing by two U.S. Senate committees, Rowe said the Secret Service‘s failure to secure the roof from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire is indefensible. “As a career law enforcement officer and a twenty-five-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured,” he said.

His disgraced predecessor, Kimberly Cheatle, suggested no one was posted to the roof because it was slightly sloped, creating a “safety factor” for agents.

Rowe says future event security plans will now undergo thorough evaluations by multiple experienced supervisors due to the “failure on multiple levels” in Butler.

Texts reveal that counter-snipers sighted Crooks nearly two hours before the shooting but did not detain him or move to have Trump‘s appearance on stage delayed until he could be intercepted.

show less
U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. claims the agency is undergoing a series of reforms following its near-disastrous failures before the shooting of former President Donald J. Trump. “What I saw made me ashamed,” Rowe said of his findings at the site of the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, which saw Trump hit in the ear, two rallygoers badly injured, and another rallygoer killed. show more
July 31, 2024
William Upton
NatSec

REPORT: Acting Secret Service Director Denied Requests to Increase Trump’s Security.

Acting United States Secret Service (USSS) Director Ronald Rowe is alleged to be one of the officials who blocked requests from former President Donald J. Trump‘s campaign to increase the Republican nominee’s security detail prior to the assassination attempt on July 13. According to investigative journalist Susan Crabtree, Rowe and former USSS director Kimberly Cheatle had a direct role in determining the allocation of agency resources and were responsible for denying the Trump campaign’s requests.

Additionally, Crabtree—citing sources familiar with USSS decision-making—states that Rowe was the official with the final authority in denying counter-sniper teams for Trump events outside reasonable driving distance from Washington, D.C. Rowe became acting director of the agency following Cheatle’s resignation last week following bipartisan calls by Members of Congress that she step down.

ROWE REPEATEDLY DENIES. 

During a rare joint-committee hearing before the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, Rowe repeatedly denied the claim that he was responsible for denying the Trump campaign requests for additional security resources over the past two years. When asked by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) if he had denied sniper coverage outside driving distance from Washington, D.C., Rowe responded: “That is a false statement, sir.”

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), meanwhile, pressed Rowe regarding the false claim by a USSS spokesman that the agency had not denied requests by Trump‘s protective detail and his presidential campaign for additional resources.

“I don’t think there was any intention to mislead,” Rowe answered before Sen. Lee interjected, asking that the acting director submit in writing what requests were made by whom and when.

For a third time, Rowe was pressed over his involvement in decisions regarding Trump‘s security detail. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) again asked the acting director if he had denied requests made by the Trump campaign. “Senator, as I stated earlier, that is not true,” he responded, insisting that he was never involved in the decision-making process at all.

In a fiery exchange with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rowe denied the report for a fourth time.

show less
Acting United States Secret Service (USSS) Director Ronald Rowe is alleged to be one of the officials who blocked requests from former President Donald J. Trump's campaign to increase the Republican nominee's security detail prior to the assassination attempt on July 13. According to investigative journalist Susan Crabtree, Rowe and former USSS director Kimberly Cheatle had a direct role in determining the allocation of agency resources and were responsible for denying the Trump campaign's requests. show more