The image of a former U.S. president with blood streaming down his face after being shot during a political rally has plunged the nation and Secret Service into a deep void of self-introspection.
Years of warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies about potentially deadly political violence came true on Saturday, July 13 at 6:11 p.m. in Butler, Pennsylvania.
A bullet, from an AR-15 rifle, almost killed Donald Trump, grazing his ear. A rally attendee behind him was shot and was killed. Two others were seriously wounded by the gunfire.
The shooter managed to position himself, in broad daylight, on top of a building about 150 yards to the right of the stage. How 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, from nearby Bethel Park, managed to do that and why he did it are still unknown at this time.
Was the assassination attempt organized by Iran?
Complicating what little is known about Crooks’ plot is news, first reported by CNN, that U.S. intelligence had warned the Secret Service in the weeks before the event that the government of Iran had initiated a plot to kill Trump.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi responded in a statement, saying “the Secret Service and other agencies are constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources, as needed.”
Responding to questions about the intelligence and alleged plot, Guglielmi said, “we cannot comment on any specific threat stream, other than to say that the Secret Service takes threats seriously and responds accordingly.”
Iran, according to U.S. officials, is deeply resentful of Trump because he ordered the assassination of a top Iranian military official in 2020.
White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson told WTOP in a statement, “As we have said many times, we have been tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration.”
Watson said, “these threats arise from Iran’s desire to seek revenge for the killing of Qasem Soleimani. We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority.”
On whether there might be a connection between Crooks’ attempt and Iran’s plot, Watson said “law enforcement has reported that their investigation has not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic.”
Iran, however, does have a history of seeking out novices to conduct assassinations on U.S. soil That, in the absence of an established motive for Crooks’ shooting, is deeply concerning to several federal law enforcement sources.
Finger-pointing and threats growing ‘widely and rapidly’
The shooting stunned eyewitnesses and media as Trump was hustled away on Saturday to safety in a waiting SUV.
When the haze of the moment began to wear off minutes later, the gravity of the event began to sink in. A former U.S. President, by turning his head every-so-slightly, narrowly avoided a potentially graphic, public assassination.
U.S. intelligence agencies have warned of political violence for years. In September last year, the Department of Homeland Security made clear in an official bulletin that it has deep concerns about this presidential election year.
“In 2024, we expect the threat of violence from violent extremists radicalized in the United States will remain high …” the assessment read.
It cautioned that a complex blend of foreign and domestic threats might emerge.
“Over the past year,” the bulletin reads, “both domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) inspired by foreign terrorist organizations have engaged in violence in reaction to sociopolitical events. These actors will continue to be inspired and motivated by a mix of conspiracy theories; personalized grievances; and enduring racial, ethnic, religious, and anti-government ideologies, often shared online.”
The fear and anger experienced by rally attendees and others, who’ve seen video of it or heard about it, has spilled over into social media.
A U.S. government official and a senior federal law enforcement source, on separate occasions, told WTOP Sunday that journalists, politicians and public figures are being blamed on social media for the shooting.
Separately, a U.S. law enforcement official said Wednesday that the online agitation, finger-pointing and threats have grown “widely and rapidly” since the weekend. And “caution and calm” are being encouraged.
‘An entire top to bottom assessment’: The investigation continues
Investigators have worked around the clock trying to figure out why Crooks did it.
In a statement the FBI said its, “technical specialists successfully gained access to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone, and they continue to analyze his electronic devices. The search of the subject’s residence and vehicle are complete. The FBI has conducted nearly 100 interviews of law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses.”
But four days after the shooting authorities still appear to be searching for a motive.
Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle, expected to attend a congressional hearing next week, said “the Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again.”
In the meantime, a former Secret Service agent told WTOP the agency is likely engaged an exhaustive review of practices and procedures.
“Right now, they’re going through an entire top to bottom assessment of protective methodologies,” said Don Mihalek, who was a part of the protective details for former President George W. Bush and former President Barack Obama.
As this is happening, several prominent members of Congress have called for Cheatle to resign.
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