WASHINGTON (TNND) — As the Department of Justice wrestles with accusations of cover-ups and incompetence over its incomplete release of the Epstein files, there’s renewed scrutiny over withheld FBI files related to the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
As the Department of Justice wrestles with accusations of cover-ups and incompetence over its incomplete release of the Epstein files, there’s renewed scrutiny over withheld FBI files related to the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. (TNND)
In a TV interview on Feb. 3, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau had already “put out all the information that we possibly and legally can while protecting any ongoing matters that are unrelated” to the assassination attempt in Butler. Nine days later, a Freedom of Information Act Request by a watchdog group yielded documents that indicate otherwise.
About 40 pages with redactions have now been posted to the FBI’s “vault” website and include notes from an interview with a rally attendee who said she “thought the security outside of the fence line was a concern because there was a lot of open access. She did not see anybody screening individuals near or outside the fence line.”
The FBI did not answer questions about why these files were not released sooner, saying, “The FBI is unable to comment on pending litigation, but any additional FOIA releases related to this subject matter will also be made available on the FBI’s Vault.”
The published files also contain notes from an interview with a Butler law enforcement official recounting what happened when authorities spotted a suspicious male before Trump took the stage.
“Several operators were communicating information about the unknown male back and forth over the radio – including to/from Command, to the Secret Service, to PSP, to “everybody.” (Redacted) advised that everyone was trying to determine who the unknown male was. (Redacted) advised that the unknown male ultimately ended up being the shooter,” the document said.
While these files don’t fundamentally change the public’s understanding of what unfolded, they provide important context to a final report published in December 2024 by the congressional Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, which stated that only one Secret Service agent testified they heard those radio transmissions.
The congressional report said, “Several (local law enforcement) officers and (U.S. Secret Service) personnel reported having connection issues with their cellular devices. Furthermore, the USSS and (Pennsylvania State Police) radio systems were malfunctioning for some users…”
At a task force hearing in September 2024, former Secret Service Special Agent Patrick Sullivan said, “When the suspicious person was identified, the detail leader and the shift agent should have been told there’s an issue we’re working on, a suspicious person. And then at that point, it was probably – probably would be inappropriate to remove the president from the stage. But the detail leader should know there’s an issue. I may have to react quicker. So, at a minimum, when there’s a suspicious person, the detail leader and the shift agent should be told there’s an issue.”
Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Penn., was in the front row of the Butler rally and, in an interview this week before the release of files, said he’s still not satisfied with the level of transparency on the shooting investigation from the FBI.
“The truth is always better when you just bring air onto it,” McCormick said. “You know, the American people, they can take it. They can take the truth.”
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