A Republican senator said Thursday that the Secret Service “repeatedly denied” an offer by a local law enforcement agency to fly a drone to help secure the site of the Trump rally on July 13.
The Secret Service changed course and allowed “drone technology” to be used only after former President Donald Trump had been shot, Sen. Josh Hawley said.
“It is hard to understand why USSS would decline to use drones when they were offered,” the Missouri Republican said in a letter demanding answers from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service.
Mr. Trump was grazed in the ear, one rally-goer was killed and two others were critically wounded in the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The level of protection given to Mr. Trump and whether he was denied any security requests have become major issues as lawmakers spar with the Secret Service.
The gunman managed to climb to a rooftop with a line of sight to Mr. Trump and fired at least eight rounds toward the GOP presidential candidate before a Secret Service counter-sniper killed the 20-year-old shooter.
The FBI confirmed this week that the shooter flew his own drone over the rally site roughly two hours before Mr. Trump took the stage.
The Secret Service has declined to say publicly whether it was using counter-drone technology or flying its own drones. Kimberly Cheatle, in testimony to Congress on Monday, before she resigned as director of the agency, insisted they had “overwatch” of the site.
The Secret Service referred questions about the letter to the Department of Homeland Security, which declined to talk about the allegations but said it would reply to Congress.
In a statement earlier Thursday, the Secret Service said new acting Director Ronald Rowe provided a closed-door briefing to senators and said he will be on Capitol Hill next week to testify publicly.
“Acting Director Rowe reiterated the Secret Service’s commitment to transparency and ensuring complete cooperation with Congress, the FBI, and other relevant investigations about the assassination attempt. Acting Director Rowe further told Senate members that he was committed to restoring the American people’s trust in the United States Secret Service, and will provide more information to the public as appropriate,” the agency said in an unattributed statement.
Mr. Hawley said Mr. Mayorkas must testify to Congress himself.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, revealed this week that the Secret Service had assigned a drone operator to the rally.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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