Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy slammed the U.S. Secret Service on Fox News, saying they were “outsmarted” by “a 20-year-old punk” in the Trump assassination attempt.
Kennedy appeared Wednesday evening on “The Ingraham Angle” to discuss a newly released video showing a figure walking across a roof nearly three minutes prior to Thomas Matthew Crook shooting at the former president and the crowd. Guest host Judge Jeanine Pirro began by asking the senator why the Secret Service would allow Trump to “go on the stage” in the first place. (RELATED: New Footage Shows Figure Walking Across Roof Roughly 3 Minutes Before Shots Were Fired At Trump Rally)
“Let me accentuate the positive first, judge. When the president was hit and went down, about a dozen men and women stormed that stage. Several established a perimeter, the rest of them piled on top of the presidents. They were willing to take a bullet for their country,” Johnson said.
“The shooter was already dead but they didn’t know that. I am so proud of those men and women and I’m so proud of those Secret Service agents and other law enforcement officials,” Johnson continued. “Having said that, the fact remains that a 20-year-old punk outsmarted the Secret Service.”
WATCH:
Kennedy continued to call out the Secret Service as he vowed to “chase” acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. “like he stole” his dog “until he answers” the questions regarding the security lapses from Trump’s Pennsylvania rally.
“Let me say that again – I’m not gonna bubble wrap it. A 20-year-old punk outsmarted the Secret Service and the American people are entitled to know why. We had a hearing yesterday, we learned some new things, but it’s still under investigation,” Johnson said.
“The American people deserve answers. Point three, we have a new head of Secret Service. He tried to be forthcoming yesterday. Didn’t answer all the questions because he couldn’t but I can promise you this as I promised him,” Johnson continued. “I am going to chase him like he stole my dog until he answers the questions for the American people about what happened. We’re not going to let this go.”
The latest video was captured by one of the victims from the shooting, James Copenhaver, adding to the breached security from the July 21 attack against Trump. Members of the Secret Service and FBI previously told lawmakers on July 17 that local law enforcement officials had spotted Crooks around 50 minutes prior to Trump stepping onto the stage, according to sources familiar with the matter.
A whistleblower additionally told Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who released the information in a letter on X (formerly known as Twitter), that law enforcement reportedly had an individual stationed atop the “sloped” roof used by Crooks, but it was abandoned due to “hot weather.”
In addition to Crooks being spotted on multiple accounts, he was confirmed to have flown a drone near the rally site a few hours prior to the event, according to WTAE.
Since the ample lists of security lapses, former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle submitted her resignation to the agency on July 23 after a tense hearing with the House Oversight Committee.
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