In a joint FBI and Secret Service presser, acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe did a victory lap of sorts, touting the security plan “worked” regarding the former president's last-minute golf outing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida (via AP):
U.S. Secret Service acting director Ronald Rowe said that protective measures are working after the latest apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
Rowe said he spoke with the former president and that Trump is “aware that he has the highest levels of protection” from the agency.
Rowe said agents did their jobs to the letter when they noticed a man poking a rifle through the bushes at Trump’s golf course on Sunday.
Rowe said the golf trip wasn’t on Trump’s schedule so they put together a security plan.
“And that security plan worked out.
Information from the Palm Beach law enforcement news conference and the Justice Department criminal complaint against Ryan Routh conflicts with yesterday's information that it was a special agent walking ahead of Trump on the golf course who first spotted the suspect with a…
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) September 16, 2024
To recap, a man with a rifle got within 350-500 yards of the former president. A complete security sweep wasn’t conducted before Trump's arrival on the course—agents swept ahead of the former president. Would-be assassin Ryan Wesley Routh was on the course, ready to attack Trump for at least 12 hours. How did he know about Trump’s golf outing? How could he hide for so long? It sounds like the Secret Service was lucky.
Secret Service did not sweep the golf course before former President Donald Trump started golfing (an unscheduled, last minute outing), they only swept in front of Trump as he golfed. The attempted assassin was posted up on the course for 12 hours.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) September 16, 2024
Regarding one of the questions surrounding this second assassination attempt concerning when/if the FBI knew, we learned that the bureau did know about Routh in 2019. It involved an investigation into illegal possession of a firearm. Routh’s rap sheet could span the continental United States, so how he was able to obtain firearms remains a mystery, though, as in the past, I’m sure we’ll find out that it was some form of government incompetence. It could also be that criminals don’t follow federal firearms laws.
BREAKING: Would-be Trump ass*ss*n was on the FBI's radar since 2019pic.twitter.com/7NoUA0yXDr
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 16, 2024
‼️ FBI agent at the presser on the arrest of assassination attempt suspect Ryan Routh says the FBI received a 2019 tip in which it was alleged that he was a felon in possession of a firearm.
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) September 16, 2024
The FBI interviewed Routh and did not verify the initial information and passed that…
We still don’t know if Routh acted alone, and federal agencies are still investigating that aspect of this incident.
Rowe was animated in this presser, highlighting the excellent work the men and women of his agency do, along with the support he receives from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, someone whose gross incompetence should preclude his name being mentioned in any remarks relating with good government work.
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