5 Unanswered Questions on Trump Assassination Bid as Theories Fly Thick And Fast

New Delhi: As the US Secret Service investigates how Thomas Matthew Crooks with an AR-style rifle managed to get close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, the assassination attempt has raised several critical questions for the agency. For the unversed, Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania, that caused chaos, with a bloodied Trump being quickly surrounded by Secret Service agents and rushed into his vehicle. Armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, Crooks fired at Trump during his speech in Butler, resulting in one audience member being killed and two others injured.  

Trump Assassination Bid: 5 Unanswered Questions For Secret Service Amid Growing Claims

Why Wasn’t The Roof Accessed by Shooter Thomas Crooks Secured in Advance?

• The method by which 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks accessed the roof near the rally is unclear.
• The rooftop, located 130 meters (430 feet) from Trump, was identified as a security vulnerability prior to the event, according to NBC News sources familiar with Secret Service operations.
• Reports suggested that security measures should have included monitoring or securing the roof to prevent unauthorized access.
• Moreover, it was also recommended that the line of sight from the roof to Trump's podium be obstructed.
• Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that Crooks should not have had a direct view of Trump.

Were Trump’s Agents Quick Enough to Move Him Off Stage?

• The agents who shielded Trump have received praise for their swift action, including from former agent Robert McDonald, who described their actions as "fairly good" despite the absence of a specific "playbook" for such incidents.
• Despite this commendation, there are concerns about whether the agents were sufficiently swift in moving the former president into a vehicle.

Was the Event Adequately Resourced?

• Jason Chaffetz, former chair of the House Oversight Committee, suggested the Secret Service was "spread too thin," which worsened the issue as local police may not have been adequately trained for securing such a high-profile event.
• Chaffetz noted that there was no greater "threat profile" than for Trump or President Biden, but this was not reflected in the security measures at the rally in Pennsylvania.
• The Secret Service denied claims that a request from Trump’s team to increase staffing was turned down before the rally.
• The Washington Post reported an exchange of messages where a former Secret Service officer inquired about how the suspect got close to Trump with a gun, receiving a reply of "Resources."    

Were The Warnings About The Gunman Effectively Relayed?

• An eyewitness reported seeing Thomas Matthew Crooks crawling on the roof with a rifle and alerted the police.
• Despite the warning, Crooks continued to move around for several minutes before opening fire and eventually being shot dead himself.
• FBI special agent Kevin Rojek expressed surprise that the attacker was able to fire shots.
• The county sheriff confirmed that a local police officer had spotted Crooks but was unable to intervene in time.
• It remains unclear whether the information about Crooks reached the agents assigned to protect Trump.  

Was the Secret Service Overly Dependent on Local Police?

• The gunman fired from a "secondary ring" around the event, which was monitored by local and state officers, not the Secret Service.
• A former Secret Service agent, Jonathan Wackrow, noted that relying on local law enforcement requires a clear plan for responding to threats.
• Wackrow stressed on the importance of having detailed instructions for local partners on how to handle potential dangers.

Conspiracy Theories Surrounding the Trump Rally Shooting

Despite Trump calling it an "assassination attempt," conspiracy theories quickly emerged, with some claiming the incident was staged. On X, false information and rumors about the shooting began spreading just minutes after it occurred.

The video of the incident went viral almost immediately, amassing millions of views. The term "staged" quickly surged to become the second-highest trending topic, right after "Trump," with over 228,000 posts using the term.

Within an hour, numerous posts on X alleging that the shooting was a setup accumulated several million views. However, there is no evidence to support these claims—the visible injuries sustained by Trump and the fact that one spectator was killed and another injured contradict the staged narrative.