House Oversight Committee asks Secret Service chief to testify on Trump assassination attempt
Speaker Johnson pledged to launch investigations into the deadly Trump rally shooting
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The House Oversight Committee is summoning the head of the U.S. Secret Service to testify on the deadly shooting at former President Trump's rally on Saturday night.
"Today, President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt when a gunman fired a weapon at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote in a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. "At least one bystander is dead."
Comer then lauded the agents who leaped on Trump seconds after he was grazed on the ear by a bullet while he spoke with supporters in Butler.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BIDEN SPOKE WITH TRUMP FOLLOWING SHOOTING AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY
Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, is summoning the head of the Secret Service. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"The tremendous bravery of the individual United States Secret Service agents who protected President Trump, eliminated the gunman, and possibly averted more loss of life cannot be overstated," Comer said.
"The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has initiated an investigation into today's assassination attempt on President Trump and requests your voluntary appearance at a full Committee hearing on July 22, 2024."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That hearing would fall a week after the Republican National Convention (RNC), where Trump is set to be formally declared the GOP nominee for president.
In addition to Comer's panel, the House Homeland Security Committee said earlier it was also seeking more information on Saturday's events.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024 (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
"The Committee has been in contact with the United States Secret Service and has just requested an official briefing for our members on the attempted assassination of President Trump this evening in Pennsylvania," the Homeland Security Committee said in a statement.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., vowed to summon Cheatle "and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI" before the House to demand answers.
Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is putting pressure on Cheatle to ensure Americans that the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions will be secure.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe," Scott wrote on X.
PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING SUSPECT PICTURED AFTER DEADLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
It comes after Trump was struck in the ear and another rally attendee was killed when a gunman opened fire from a nearby roof toward the beginning of the ex-president's remarks. Two more people were critically injured, according to the Secret Service, and the shooter was killed by law enforcement.
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Trump was escorted off-stage by a group of Secret Service agents who pounced on him immediately after he went down behind his podium, but not before pumping a fist in the air and mouthing "fight" to his supporters.
The Trump campaign indicated hours later that he would still be attending the RNC.