House Task Force Calls Trump Shooting Preventable

A bipartisan House task force concluded that the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump was 'preventable,' citing significant communication and planning failures between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In a 53-page interim report, the panel highlighted inadequate preparations, a lack of a unified command post, and fragmented communication that delayed critical information about the gunman, Thomas Crooks. The report drew from 23 interviews with local law enforcement and extensive documentation, emphasizing that officers could have engaged Crooks at several moments before the shooting occurred. The task force plans to conduct over 20 additional interviews with federal officials and aims to release a final report by December 13, which will include recommendations for preventing future security lapses. The findings echo previous reviews from independent panels and raise questions about the leadership of the Secret Service in light of these lapses. The investigation follows another attempt on Trump’s life in September and underscores the need for improved security measures at political events.