Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called for “accountability” Monday following the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump this year, saying the country needed to “demand” better protection for the former president.
A Secret Service agent fired shots at a man with a semi-automatic rifle while Trump was playing a round of golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Sunday, with the alleged gunman being taken into custody by local law enforcement. Johnson praised the agent who thwarted the alleged attempt on Trump’s life but raised concerns about the Secret Service and “manpower allocation.” (RELATED: ‘Scary Times’: Donald Trump Jr Shares Intimate Update After Assassination Attempt)
“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.”
WATCH:
‘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
Trump was shot and slightly wounded in the right ear during an assassination attempt while giving a speech at a July 13 campaign rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, that left former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore dead.
“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.”
“Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade asked if Johnson would look into using Navy SEALs who left active duty to enhance Trump’s security, while also moving the Secret Service 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.” (RELATED: Speaker Mike Johnson Promises ‘Full Investigation’ Into Trump Assassination Attempt)
The alleged gunman has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, and appeared before a federal magistrate Monday after being held overnight by police, The New York Post reported.
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