On the Second Anniversary of the Butler, the IG’s Report Highlights the Secret Service’s Failures

Today marks the second anniversary of the failed assassination attempt against President Trump at a campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. President Trump was struck in the ear, while two attendees were also wounded and retired firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed as he protected his family from the gunfire. Gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, was killed by a Secret Service sniper as he lay on the roof of a nearby building.

Now, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released a report on Butler, highlighting the many failures of the Secret Service, including how agents missed more than 100 radio transmissions warning about the gunman, and that breakdowns in communications and security lapses were ‘missed opportunities’ to stop the shooting.

A new inspector general report released two years after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, says the Secret Service missed more than 100 radio transmissions warning about the suspected gunman.

The attack killed firefighter Corey Comperatore as he… pic.twitter.com/WVyqQgn44k

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 13, 2026

The report highlights some of these missteps, including that the Secret Service failed to:

• Detect a drone flown by Crooks to view the campaign event stage, due to under-trained operators and equipment malfunction
• Warn President Trump’s security detail that Crooks had a range-finder, a long gun, and that he’d climbed onto the roof of the nearby building because the Secret Service didn’t set up a joint communications room with local law enforcement
• Share intelligence about threats to President Trump with the Pittsburgh Field Office leadership or site agents, which led to insufficient personnel for the event
• Secure the area outside the perimeter, even though the Pennsylvania State Police warned the Secret Service that the area would be unsecured
• Use resources to block the line of sight from the building where Crooks took the shot to President Trump, even though it was identified as a point of concern

This report came after the OIG reviewed more than 70,000 documents, conducted dozens of interviews, and recreated the event using 3D models. Based on the information obtained, the OIG made seven recommendations to the Secret Service. Those recommendations included:

1. The Aviation and Airspace Security Division (ASD) develops and implements a process for submitting counter-drone operator request details for leadership review
2. ADS creates training standards for protective divisions operating counter-drone systems, including training on repairing malfunctioning counter-drone systems
3. ADS coordinates with counter-drone vendors to ensure they have sufficient technical support staff to meet Secret Service protective mission needs
4. The Office of Protective Operations (OPO) updates policies for planning event security to require communications room staff to inform the protective detail about searches for suspicious persons
5. The Protective Intelligence Assessment Division (PID) develops and implements policy and procedure for receiving and requesting permission to share intelligence with field offices assigned to events to ensure timely and efficient sharing of classified intelligence with on-site Secret Service personnel
6. OPO updates policies on coordination with partner law enforcement agencies to require lead and site agents to review and confirm state and local enforcement’s positions before an event
7. OPO develops and implements a process to document the identification and blocking of line-of-sight vulnerabilities and the approval of mitigation plans

The OIG said the Secret Service has concurred with all seven recommendations, and that it considers recommendations one, four, and six resolved and closed, while the remaining four remain ‘resolved and open.’

Two years ago, we witnessed the assassination attempt on President Trump’s life in Butler.

Rather than running and hiding, President Trump fought back ten times harder against the COMMUNISTS trying to destroy our country.

God bless Donald Trump, and God bless America. pic.twitter.com/5JOxJxrxfd

— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) July 13, 2026

The photo of President Trump, fist raised, surrounded by Secret Service agents, was the photo of 2024.

FIGHT

FIGHT

FIGHT pic.twitter.com/ZEE7WpIYrv

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 13, 2026

We also remember Corey Comperatore and his family today.

May Corey Comperatore rest in honored peace.
May God’s healing hand rest on his family. pic.twitter.com/acRocvg6s6

— Jondavid “JD” Longo (@JondavidRLongo) July 13, 2026

In a split second, he shielded his daughter and wife with his body, saving their lives at the cost of his own.

His last act was love.
And love like that never dies.

Remembering Corey Comperatore
Butler, PA — July 13, 2024 pic.twitter.com/0mKJZ56RAn

— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) July 13, 2026

God Bless Corey Comperatore.

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