Testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill, FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate revealed the 20-year man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump flew a drone over the Butler, Pennsylvania rally for 11 minutes before eventually firing shots -- hitting Trump in the ear, killing 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and severely wounding two others.
FBI: Trump’s attempted assassin flew a drone for *11 minutes* before taking his shots
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) July 30, 2024
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe further explained that people fly drones "on the periphery of our events all of the time," but added protocol is to track down the individuals doing so in order to ascertain their intentions. During the Butler rally, the Secret Service did not have counter drones in the air.
CORNYN: Can you explain why the shooter's drone worked?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 30, 2024
USSS: There was no-counter drone system present. pic.twitter.com/5qgoWUlZAw
The hearing comes a week after former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her post. Cheatle initially claimed in an interview with ABC News that a roof where the assailant took his shots was unsecured because it was "sloped." That notion was refuted during testimony Tuesday by Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe. It also comes after FBI Director Christopher Wray bizarrely claimed Trump may not have been hit with a bullet, which the Bureau clarified in a statement last week.
Acting Secret Service Director: I "could not, and I will not and I cannot understand" why the roof where the shooter carried out his attack on former President Trump was not secured. pic.twitter.com/gjK1WqrunJ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 30, 2024
Glad the FBI confirmed what everyone else knew. It was a bullet that struck President Trump.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 26, 2024
The statement by the FBI Director should’ve never been made.
Very glad the assassin failed. https://t.co/fCK9KoFPaN
Lawmakers still have a number of questions about how the assassination attempt on Trump was able to happen.
The American people want to know:
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 30, 2024
— How was the shooter allowed to scope out the rally grounds even after he was spotted by law enforcement?
— How was he able to take drone footage just hours before the speech?
— Why did the S.S. turn down Trump’s requests for more protection?