USSS' Ronald Rowe says he's 'ashamed' by security failures at Trump rally, Internet calls it 'ridiculous'

WASHINGTON, DC: Acting director of Secret Service Ronald Rowe and FBI deputy director Paul Abbate testified regarding the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump during a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, July 30.

The hearing centered on the security failures that led to the fatal shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

Ronald Rowe's candid admission

Following Kimberly Cheatle's resignation, Rowe recently assumed the role of acting director. He expressed deep regret and shame over the Secret Service’s handling of the campaign rally’s security.

He acknowledged critical lapses that allowed assailant Thomas Crooks to execute the attack.

“I went to the roof of the AGR building where the assailant fired shots, and I laid in a prone position to evaluate his line of sight. What I saw made me ashamed,” said Rowe.

Ronald Rowe says he 'cannot defend' why the roof was not better secured

Addressing the security failures, Rowe said, “As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured."

"To prevent similar lapses from occurring in the future, I directed our personnel to ensure every event site security plan is thoroughly vetted by multiple experienced supervisors before it is implemented,” Rowe continued.

“It is clear to me that other protective enhancements could have strengthened our security at the Butler event," he added, according to Daily Mail.

The joint hearing was the latest in a series of examinations aimed at uncovering details about the shooter and understanding the security shortcomings that enabled the assassination attempt against Trump.

Before the gunman was shot dead by Secret Service agents, he killed a rally attendee and injured two others.

Internet slams Ronald Rowe after admitting he's 'ashamed' by Trump rally failures

As Rowe expressed shame over security failures at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania, netizens slammed the Security Service acting director's candid admission.

"He should be ashamed. It was a ridiculous failure, seeing that we now know it was highly preventable," a user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote while another user tweeted, "Better secured? Clearly it wasn't secured at all. Just like was intended," and an individual penned, "Ronald Row, you have zero integrity."

"This is a more candid apology than anything I've heard from the government since COVID started," a netizen commented and someone remarked, "Don't defend it, EXPLAIN why it was not secured," while another user tweeted, "They are a joke agency."

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