Senator SLAMS FBI Over Trump Attack Failures

FBI SLAMMED

Senator David McCormick, who narrowly escaped being on stage with President Trump during the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, is publicly challenging federal agencies’ conclusions, stating “unresolved” security failures still breed distrust among Americans who witnessed a 20-year-old breach Secret Service protection and nearly kill our president.

Story Snapshot

Sen. McCormick (R-Pa.) voices dissatisfaction with FBI and Secret Service explanations for security lapses during the Butler rally shooting
20-year-old Thomas Crooks evaded security, used a drone for reconnaissance, and fired from a rooftop less than 450 feet away before being neutralized
The attack killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore, wounded two others, and grazed President Trump’s ear
FBI closed the case in November 2025 as a “lone actor” with no identified motive, leaving families and witnesses frustrated

Eyewitness Senator Demands Accountability

Sen. David McCormick sat mere feet from President Trump on July 13, 2024, when Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. McCormick was originally scheduled to join Trump on stage but was playfully told to wait by Trump himself—a delay that Trump later joked saved McCormick’s life.

In a recent interview on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One with Miranda Devine,” McCormick expressed profound dissatisfaction with federal explanations. He witnessed Trump’s defiant fist-raise amid chaos and now questions how a 20-year-old witha minimal digital footprint accessed a rooftop within 450 feet of the former president.

UNRESOLVED ASSASSINATION QUESTIONS: Many "unresolved" questions remain about the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to Sen. Dave McCormick. MORE: https://t.co/U6LlbMXLxn pic.twitter.com/3oqSn7B6Qm

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 11, 2026

Security Failures That Shouldn’t Happen

Crooks arrived at the rally at 3:35 p.m. carrying his father’s AR-15-style rifle, 50 rounds of ammunition, and explosives in his vehicle. He flew a drone over the venue at 3:50 p.m. for reconnaissance—an action that should have triggered an immediate Secret Service response.

By 6:06 p.m., he climbed onto the AGR International building roof using an air-conditioning unit, positioning himself approximately 400 feet north of the stage. Rallygoers spotted him and alerted authorities, yet local police snipers inside the building were absent from the roof due to staffing shortages. At 6:11 p.m., Crooks fired eight rounds before a Secret Service countersniper killed him 16 seconds later.

The Human Cost of Institutional Failure

Corey Comperatore, a devoted Trump supporter and father, died shielding his family during the attack. Two other attendees suffered serious injuries while President Trump sustained a graze wound to his upper right ear. The Congressional Task Force’s final report cited “gaps in protection due to lack of assets,” yet McCormick argues this bureaucratic language fails to address fundamental accountability.

Eric Trump voiced similar frustration in November 2024, stating the family remained “wholly p—ed off” over withheld details, including Crooks’ social media activity that federal agencies initially downplayed. These families deserve transparency, not institutional stonewalling that erodes constitutional trust in government protection.

Lone Gunman Theory Questioned

The FBI concluded in November 2025 that Crooks acted alone with no identifiable motive, despite finding bomb-making materials at his home and vehicle. McCormick avoids conspiracy theories but raises common-sense questions: How does a 20-year-old with limited resources and no apparent training execute such a breach? Why was the rooftop—clearly visible to cellphone cameras—outside the Secret Service perimeter?

The agency’s reforms post-incident offer little comfort when fundamental questions about threat assessment and perimeter security remain unanswered. This isn’t about partisan politics; it’s about whether federal agencies prioritize protecting American leaders or protecting their own reputations when catastrophic failures occur.

Broader Implications for Political Security

This incident marked the first shooting of a president or major presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan’s 1981 assassination attempt. A second attempt against President Trump occurred at his Florida golf course on September 15, 2024, further highlighting security vulnerabilities during the 2024 campaign.

McCormick’s senatorial platform now includes congressional oversight of Secret Service protocols, reflecting constituents’ demand for accountability. The attack politically galvanized Trump’s base through iconic imagery of his bloodied defiance, but it also normalized political violence in ways that threaten civic stability. Increased security costs for campaigns and rallies will burden taxpayers while agencies resist meaningful reform.

READ NOW: Sen. McCormick: 'Unresolved' Questions in Trump Assassination Attempt — Many "unresolved" questions remain about the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to Sen. Dave McCormick,…https://t.co/dRfBu8lXYO

— Top News by CPAC (@TopNewsbyCPAC) February 11, 2026

Senator McCormick’s persistence in demanding answers reflects a broader conservative principle: government agencies must serve the people, not bureaucratic self-preservation. When a father dies protecting his family at a political rally, when a former president survives by inches, Americans deserve more than “lone gunman” conclusions and staffing shortage excuses.

The Constitution guarantees citizens the right to peacefully assemble and hear political candidates without fearing for their lives. Until federal agencies provide complete transparency on how Crooks exploited systemic failures, public trust will continue eroding—exactly the outcome enemies of constitutional governance desire.