Secret Service Suspends Agents Without Pay Following Butler Rally Shooting
In a move signaling growing internal accountability, the U.S. Secret Service has suspended at least six agents without pay following the catastrophic breach that allowed a would-be assassin to fire multiple rounds at former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The suspensions come as the agency faces intense scrutiny from lawmakers and the public over what many are calling the worst protective failure in modern Secret Service history.
The July attack, which left one rally attendee dead and seriously injured two others, has sparked a wave of investigations and calls for a total overhaul of Secret Service procedures. Most notably, critics—including top conservative lawmakers—have expressed outrage over the lack of vigilance that allowed the shooter to position himself on a rooftop, within clear view of the stage, armed with a high-powered rifle.
Deputy Secret Service Director Matt Quinn told CBS News on Wednesday that the agents who were suspended over the first assassination attempt were given penalties that ranged from 10-42 days of suspension without pay or benefits.
“We are laser-focused on fixing the root cause of the problem,” Quinn said while defending the agency’s decision not to fire anyone in the wake of the assassination attempt. “We aren’t going to fire our way out of this. We’re going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation.
“Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler,” he continued. “Butler was an operational failure and we are focused today on ensuring that it never happens again.”
Sources inside the agency confirmed to Just the News that the suspensions are part of an internal disciplinary action that is still ongoing. The agents in question were reportedly responsible for key aspects of advance security planning and rooftop surveillance. The Secret Service has not disclosed their names, citing internal protocols and ongoing reviews.
“The American people, and especially the Trump family, deserve answers—and accountability,” said a senior GOP aide familiar with the congressional response. “This wasn’t just a slip-up. This was a systemic failure, and Americans nearly lost a former president because of it.”
According to the New York Post, the suspended agents were initially placed on administrative leave before the harsher decision to suspend them without pay was implemented. This comes amid increased pressure from Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers have called for hearings and even floated the idea of independent oversight of presidential security planning.
Multiple video angles of the rally circulated online showed chaos erupting moments after the shots were fired. Former President Trump, seen reaching for his ear with blood visible, was quickly rushed off stage by his protective detail—who were praised for their immediate response under fire, but criticized for allowing the situation to escalate to that point in the first place.
Conservative critics say this incident reflects a deeper issue within the Biden administration’s handling of law enforcement agencies. “We’ve seen the FBI become weaponized, Homeland Security focused on pronouns and climate change, and now the Secret Service asleep at the wheel during a former president’s rally,” said political commentator Eric Thompson. “This is not just about poor planning—this is about a systemic rot fueled by weak leadership at the top.”
The assassin, who was shot dead by law enforcement, had reportedly been on the rooftop for several minutes before opening fire. Investigators are now trying to determine how such a clear threat was not identified earlier, especially given the elevated security posture that should have surrounded a Trump rally.
Initial reports indicate that local law enforcement warned of suspicious activity near the perimeter earlier in the day, but the warnings were either ignored or not escalated properly. A federal review is underway to determine how these communication failures may have contributed to the near-fatal shooting.
Republican members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability are demanding that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testify publicly. They are expected to press her on everything from rooftop access protocols to the coordination—or lack thereof—between federal and local law enforcement.
Christian leaders across the country have also expressed concern about the spiritual implications of the attack. Many see the attempt on Trump’s life as not just a political act but a spiritual assault on a leader who, despite his imperfections, has championed religious liberty and conservative values. “This was more than an attack on a man—it was an attack on the cause of righteousness in a culture bent on chaos,” said Pastor Jordan Fields of Arizona.
The Secret Service issued a brief statement acknowledging that a review is ongoing and that disciplinary action will be taken “where warranted.” The agency also expressed support for the agents who “acted courageously under extreme duress” to shield President Trump from further harm.
Nevertheless, critics argue that the real courage now lies in admitting institutional failure and taking bold steps to ensure it never happens again. Calls for increased transparency, better training, and modernized surveillance equipment have grown louder in recent weeks. Some lawmakers are even pushing for legislation that would create a new joint task force dedicated solely to protecting former presidents at high-profile events.
This isn’t the first time the Secret Service has come under fire for lapses. Previous incidents involving intruders at the White House and unauthorized flights over secure airspace had already damaged the agency’s credibility. But the Butler shooting is being viewed as a watershed moment—a line in the sand for how seriously the nation takes the safety of its leaders.
If there’s a silver lining, conservatives hope it lies in the wake-up call this tragedy represents. “The Bible reminds us that watchmen must stay alert,” said Thompson. “When they fall asleep on the wall, the enemy walks right in. This isn’t just about physical security—it’s about spiritual readiness and the cost of complacency.”
As investigations unfold and Congress prepares for what could be explosive hearings, the suspended agents now serve as stark reminders of what happens when vigilance gives way to failure—especially in a nation already on edge, and in a time when spiritual warfare increasingly intersects with political reality.
Keywords:
Trump rally shooting, Secret Service suspensions, Butler Pennsylvania attack, Trump assassination attempt, conservative outrage, GOP investigation, presidential security breach, Secret Service failures, Christian perspective on Trump, Biden administration failures
