In an interview with Fox News host Jesse Waters, former President Donald Trump publicly wondered how his security personnel missed numerous signs of the eventual assassination attempt that nearly took his life.
The attempt did take the life of Trump supporter and hero Corey Competore, who used his body to protect his family.
The presidential election front-runner also focused on how the team tasked with protecting him successfully secured the rooftop where the would-be assassins ended up camped out, an obvious location for the attack.
“When you basically have a flat open roof like this and it’s aimed directly at the target with absolutely no obstructions, that’s not what it should be,” he questioned. “Why is there anyone up there? He’s been there for a long time.
The roof Trump is talking about is not flat, but has a slight slope.
“The Trump supporters were screaming, the woman in the red shirt, she was screaming ‘There’s a man on the roof,’ and then other people were saying ‘There’s a man on the roof with a gun,’ long before I left.
The fact is they No Anything done about it confuses many critics.
RELATED: Watch: Secret Service chief questioned and condemned by senators over Trump assassination attempt
Trump on security failure: Corey Competore still alive
Trump was sure to suggest in his interview with Waters that the problem lay with local police and security services, even though his Secret Service clearly bears responsibility for the entire ordeal.
He questioned the officer who found the gunman on the roof, who reportedly “collapsed” when the weapon used to shoot Trump was first pointed at him.
“What did he do after he fell off the roof?” Trump asked. “Did he just walk away and say something?”
The Republican nominee said innocent people wouldn’t have been killed at the rally if the security team had responded with adequate warning, communicated effectively with others and perhaps waited to assess the situation before allowing him to take the stage.
“I hope someone does it because (former Fire Chief) Corey (Comperatore) is still alive,” Trump said.
“Someone should make sure no one is on the roof. They say they don’t have enough manpower, which is crazy.
🚨Donald Trump questioned why the shooter was allowed to go on to the roof and shoot him despite supporters pointing him out to law enforcement ahead of time. pic.twitter.com/5O6G7Lqsn8
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 23, 2024
RELATED: Secret Service noticed suspected Trump gunman hours before he fired first shot, then lost him when he went to get rifle: report
Seeking answers from the Secret Service
The Secret Service failed completely here.
Various reports found that Trump’s security team was understaffed, failed to secure the roof where Crooks was perched, and had multiple opportunities to intervene and stop the attack.
There have also been recent reports that the gunman may have conducted drone surveillance of the target area and was deemed suspicious in the hours before the shooting for trying to enter a safe area using a rangefinder, a device used to line up long-range shots. .
Trump also blasted Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who has been criticized for allowing the assassination attempt to go ahead because of comments that suggested her elite security team could not protect a building with a slightly sloping roof.
“It’s essentially a flat roof, so someone gave her the wrong message when she talked about the pitch of the roof,” he said.
“I think obviously she needs to be more candid,” added J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice presidential running mate.
Many lawmakers have called for Chittle’s resignation because he was responsible for one of the largest Secret Service failures in the agency’s history.
