US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has admitted that the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday was a “security failure.”
Mayorkas stated that such an incident “should never have happened” and announced that President Joe Biden has ordered an independent review of the incident, according to CNN.
The security establishment will conduct an independent review to analyze how and why the incident occurred and to provide recommendations and findings to ensure it does not happen again, Mayorkas explained. He emphasized that the government would provide answers to the American public to the fullest extent possible.
Mayorkas also strongly refuted accusations that he had denied a request for additional security for Trump, calling the claims “baseless and irresponsible, and unequivocally false.”
In a related development, an NBC report revealed that the rooftop from which the shots were fired at Trump was identified as a security gap. The Secret Service deemed securing the rooftop as the responsibility of local police.
The assassination attempt occurred while Trump, 78, was delivering a speech to his supporters at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Secret Service agents immediately escorted Trump off the stage, with blood visible on his face.
One person at the rally was killed, two attendees were seriously injured, and the assailant was killed.
Hours after the attack, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social: “It is more important than ever to stand united and not allow evil to prevail.”
