Secret Service management sent an email to employees this summer urging an “organized response” to an inspector general investigation launched after the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to a new whistleblower disclosure.
The whistleblower shared the email with Sen. Charles E. Grassley’s office, prompting the Iowa Republican to raise concerns about the Secret Service “interfering” with the watchdog probe.
Secret Service management sent the email in August with the subject line “DHS OIG Inquiries” to inform employees they could receive interview or information requests from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General related to its investigation into the July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The email asked the employees to tell their supervisors if they’re contacted by the DHS OIG so management is aware of the communication.
Mr. Grassley didn’t release the full email “out of an abundance of caution for protecting whistleblower anonymity,” but quoted from it in a letter he sent to acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.
“Generally not an issue, however this is NOT the normal course of action and the Service needs awareness … to ensure an organized response,” the email read in part.
Mr. Grassley said in the letter to Mr. Rowe that the email from Secret Service management “could have a chilling effect on its employees from fully cooperating and providing information to the DHS OIG as well as congressional investigations out of fear of retaliation since supervisors will apparently be keeping tabs on their communications.”
The senator added, “Secret Service should be encouraging its employees to come forward to provide truthful information to the DHS OIG and Congress so that lessons can be learned to prevent future assassination attempts.”
Mr. Grassley asked that the Secret Service provide him with all of the agency’s personnel communications related to providing information to the DHS OIG and congressional investigations into the July 13 attempted assassination by Nov. 12.
In a post on X, Mr. Grassley said he wrote to Mr. Rowe because “whistleblowers told me USSS is interfering w DHS’ watchdog investigation.”
“TRANSPARENCY NEEDED,” the senator wrote.
The Secret Service in a statement to The Washington Times confirmed it received Mr. Grassley’s letter and said it will respond through official channels. The agency said it “has been and will continue to examine the events of the July 13 assassination attempt and will fully cooperate with Congress and other relevant investigations.”
The DHS inspector general investigation is one of several probes of the first Trump assassination attempt.
An independent review panel of former law enforcement officials concluded its inquiry in October and suggested a shake-up of the Secret Service, including new leadership from outside the agency.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a House task force are conducting independent investigations, and the Secret Service ran an internal review.
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.