Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called for “accountability” on Monday after the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump this year, stating that the country needs to “demand” better protection for the former president.
A Secret Service agent fired shots at a man wielding a semi-automatic rifle while Trump was golfing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
The alleged gunman was subsequently apprehended by local law enforcement. Johnson commended the agent who prevented the attack on Trump’s life but expressed concerns regarding the Secret Service and “manpower allocation.”
“I got a briefing from the acting director of the Secret Service, Ron Rowe, within 90 minutes of the event. I was actually sitting with President Trump when he called. We listened to that in detail, and what I understand happened is that those agents that were with him yesterday saw that barrel of that gun between the bushes on a golf course,” Johnson said. “I mean, you know, that’s a difficult thing to spot. Thankfully they did, unlike in Butler, they did not pause. They immediately pulled their weapons and fired. I think that’s why this guy, the suspect, the shooter, threw the gun in the bushes and ran. Had they not been, had they not acted so quickly and decisively, we might be having a different conversation here today.”
Trump was shot and lightly injured in the right ear during an assassination attempt while speaking at a campaign rally on July 13 in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, which resulted in the death of former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore.
“President Trump needs the most coverage of anyone. He’s the most attacked, he is the most threatened, even probably more than when he was in the Oval Office,” Johnson continued. “So we are demanding in the house that he have every asset available, and we will make more available if necessary. I don’t think it’s a funding issue, I think it’s manpower allocation.”
'I Have No Faith': House Speaker Mike Johnson Vows 'There Will Be Accountability' After Second Trump Assassination Attempt pic.twitter.com/R3ygvsWfcO
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 16, 2024
“Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade inquired whether Johnson would consider utilizing Navy SEALs who have left active duty to bolster Trump’s security, as well as moving the Secret Service out from under the Department of Homeland Security.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Johnson said. “We will look at all those things. As you know, I put together in the task force in the immediate wake of the Butler, Pennsylvania, the shocking failures, lapses in security there. There are hearings coming up this month for that — that task force, and of course, the Senate has its own homeland security committee looking into it as well. There is going to be reports and recommendations coming forward, and Congress will act swiftly. We need accountability. We must demand that this job is being done. I think there are some really patriotic, great people working in the Secret Service, but it’s the leadership. We have no faith — I have no faith in Secretary Mayorkas.”
