America: Secret Service 'Diversity Push' Questioned After Women Agents Fumble During Trump Attack

Former United States president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday (13 July).

From the multiple shots fired by the assailant, one bullet grazed the upper part of Trump’s right ear, and he escaped without serious injuries, while one man died and two others were injured.

The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed in the retaliatory action by the US Secret Service.

The US Secret Service is a service formed to protect former and current US presidents from such assassination attempts, just like the Indian Special Protection Group (SPG) that protects current and former Indian prime ministers.

The fact that the shooter was able to get very close — less than 150 metres from the stage from which the former president was speaking — and fire shots without the secret service officers getting any whiff has raised several questions about the service.

Fingers are being pointed at the secret service and its director, Kimberly Cheatle, for the lapses in the security arrangement.

Several eyewitness accounts say that the assailant was seen crawling up to the rooftop minutes before the shooting. This was reported to the local police, who even radioed this to the secret service. However, despite all this, the shooter managed to get a shot at Trump.

Compounding the issue is the video of several women secret service members fumbling when Trump was being hurried into a car to be driven away from the spot.

One woman secret service member can be seen struggling to holster her pistol (putting it back in its holster), and another female member can be seen putting on her glasses. From the video, it appears that these female secret service members were unsure about what to do when Trump was being taken away from the site.

These visuals have led to questions being raised from various quarters about the secret service focus on diversity hiring.

Cheatle, in an interview given to CBS news, a year ago (2023), can be heard emphasising the importance of diversity in the secret service. The interview also reports that the secret service is, by 2030, looking to have at least 30 per cent of its strength filled by female officers.

The visuals from the Trump attack do not paint a good picture of the women secret service members and raise further questions on Cheatle's diversity hires.

Many, including Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, have asked for the removal of Cheatle.

Demands for a formal investigation by both the Republicans and the Democrats have also been made to identify the security lapses.

US President Joe Biden has directed an independent review of the security situation at the rally. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that his department, as well as the secret service, has also started an investigation into how the attack occurred.

As the outcome of the enquiry is awaited, it should be remembered that personnel security is an inherently dangerous profession where threats emerge without any warning. It is therefore imperative to always look to get the best man or woman for the job instead of playing to the gallery for diversity.