He’s returning to the scene of the crime.
Former President Trump is expected to make a triumphant return to Butler, PA, tonight, just months after he narrowly survived a would-be assassin’s bullet.
The U.S. Secret Service flooded the site this week after facing withering criticism that it was unprepared and understaffed during the July 13 stump speech-turned-assassination attempt that stunned the world.
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, managed to get off a shot at Trump from a sloped roof just 130 yards from the former president, nicking him in the ear and causing pandemonium before being killed by a Secret Service sniper.
After the eight shots rang out, a bloodied Trump raised his fist and said “fight” as he was rushed off stage by agents. The image has become iconic.
The attack left a 50-year-old retired fire chief in the audience dead and two others severely injured.
Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in July after facing bipartisan outrage over agency failures. In a damning admission to ABC, Cheatle said agents were not posted on the roof where Crooks took his shot because it was too “sloped,” creating an unacceptable “safety factor” for the agents.
The Secret Service had also been aware of Crooks’ presence at the rally for more than an hour before Trump took the stage. They frisked Crooks before the event and found him carrying a rangefinder, which is used by hunters to determine distances. They allowed Crooks to enter anyway.
A bipartisan report from the Senate Homeland Security Committee found that among other things the Secret Service “denied specific requests” for additional security resources at the event and that it “failed to effectively coordinate with state and local law enforcement.” The USSS counter-drone system was also “inoperable for hours” because of technical difficulties with no backup in place, according to the report.
But on Friday, a drone was seen flying over the venue at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds, as law enforcement officials examined buildings, including Crook’s former perch. At the southern end of the property, law enforcement walked the perimeter, scoping out potential risks.
Long tractor trailers were set up along the perimeter to block the line of sight of potential attackers. Chain-link fences already on the property were covered in black tarp to further obstruct any mischief. Trump is expected to also be protected by a barrier of ballistic glass when he takes the stage.
“We are coordinating closely with the Pennsylvania State Police as well as local law enforcement in and around Butler Township. We are also leveraging other federal security resources to expand personnel and technology,” Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement Friday.
Some Trump die-hards camped out Friday night to ensure they had prime spots and vendors hawking Trump merch were also out in force.
Trump is expected to revisit the attack on his life and memorialize those killed and wounded during the shooting. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and X owner Elon Musk are also expected to be at the rally.
Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes are widely considered the biggest prize of the 2024 contest, and viewed as a must-win state for both campaigns.
