By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Secret Service has suspended six personnel without pay, with penalties ranging from 10 to 42 days of leave, and placed them in roles with less operational responsibility upon their return. Deputy Director Matt Quinn stated the agency is focused on addressing the root causes of the operational failures, introducing new technology such as military-grade drones and improved communication systems. The agency’s response, following a bipartisan report citing leadership and training issues, seeks to prevent future incidents by correcting the security lapses that occurred during the campaign rally, in which a gunman opened fire on the president.
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Secret Service suspended 6 personnel without pay or benefits after Trump assassination attempt. The fact that six Secret Service personnel were suspended without pay or benefits following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump immediately raises a lot of questions. The very idea that someone could get close enough to a presidential candidate, to even attempt such a thing, is frankly alarming. And the fact that it resulted in suspensions, and not immediate terminations, hints at a deeper problem within the agency.
It’s a clear failure of security, a spectacular one at that. We are talking about the best protection agency in the world, and someone still managed to get close enough to fire a weapon. The fact that a bullet grazed the former president’s ear speaks volumes about the severity of the security lapse. There are so many failures here it is hard to count. That this happened at all is an embarrassment.
The varying opinions on this whole situation are to be expected. Some people think it was staged. Others believe it was a real attempt. The fact that the former president continues to talk about the attempt is a testament to the event and the fear for his life.
The suspensions, with the longest reportedly being 42 days, indicate a severe reprimand, but the lack of pay and benefits highlights the seriousness with which this failure is being treated. It makes you wonder what the specific failures were. Did they fail to see something? Were they slow to react? Did they fail to follow protocols? The “upgrades” mentioned, like drones and improved communication, should have been implemented ages ago. It makes you wonder how those decisions got made in the first place. It also seems the GG13s are taking the fall for senior executives’ lack of foresight in technology investments, which would explain the severity.
It’s easy to see why people are upset. There are those who might believe the whole thing was a staged event. There are those who see the suspension of the personnel as a justified action. Regardless of where anyone stands on the man himself, it’s hard to deny that it never should have happened.
The financial element of the story is worth exploring. The pay scale of Secret Service agents can range widely. Entry-level agents start with a salary between $37,000 and $50,000 annually. With experience, agents can advance to higher GS levels, such as GS-12 or GS-13, where salaries can range from about $60,000 to over $90,000. Senior agents and those in supervisory roles can earn even more, potentially exceeding $100,000 annually. And, even the lower entry level wages, should be considered good. The real question is what those guards actually make when you factor in overtime and expenses.
The fact that this happened at all is enough to be frustrated by. This doesn’t mean we should try to minimize the seriousness of the event. The very idea that someone tried to assassinate the former president should be concerning to everyone.