A member of the bipartisan task force investigating the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump has uncovered significant communication issues within the Secret Service.

According to CBS News, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat, highlighted "enormous gaps" in communication during the July shooting incident targeting the former president.

Houlahan's remarks came during an appearance on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on September 22, 2024.

The congresswoman, one of 13 lawmakers on the task force, pointed out several critical communication breakdowns. These included agents relying on text messages instead of radio communication and a lack of awareness about the existence of two separate command centers.

Houlahan also noted a general laxity in communication practices among personnel involved in the security operation.

Task Force Aims To Restore Public Trust In Institutions

The bipartisan panel, consisting of seven Republicans and six Democrats, was appointed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Their primary objective is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.

Houlahan emphasized the importance of the task force working swiftly and collaboratively to understand the events and prevent similar incidents in the future. She stressed the need to rebuild public confidence in law enforcement and congressional institutions.

The task force is expected to submit its final report by December 13, 2024. This investigation is one of several ongoing probes into the incident, including an FBI criminal investigation into the gunman's motive and internal reviews by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security.

Secret Service Acknowledges Security Failures In July Incident

In response to the task force's findings, the Secret Service has admitted to shortcomings in its handling of the July 13 assassination attempt.

On September 20, 2024, the agency released a five-page summary of its forthcoming report, which highlighted "communications deficiencies" between the Secret Service and local law enforcement assisting with security at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

Houlahan expressed her belief that the Secret Service is actively working to address these issues. She also noted that Congress is focusing on providing the necessary resources to implement these changes effectively.

The congresswoman shared her perspective on the communication problems:

In terms of people texting information to each other rather than using radio, in terms of people not even knowing that there were two command centers, there were huge gaps. And there were also some gaps, frankly, in kind of culture and people being relatively lax in the way that they communicated with one another. And all of these things have to be fixed.

Enhanced Security Measures For Presidential Candidates

In light of the recent events, the House of Representatives unanimously voted on September 20, 2024, to increase Secret Service protection for all major presidential and vice presidential candidates. This decision elevates the level of protection to match that of a sitting president.

The vote came in response to a second apparent assassination attempt against Trump, which occurred at Trump International Golf Course in Florida. The task force was briefed on this incident behind closed doors prior to their public statements.

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who also appeared on "Face the Nation," expressed concerns about public trust in the ongoing FBI investigation. He emphasized the importance of transparency in these investigations to maintain faith in institutions.

Rubio stated:

That's why disclosure and openness with regards to these investigations, is so critical. It's not just because we want to know. It's because it's important to preserve trust in our institutions, and we're not seeing that.

Conclusion

The investigation into the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has revealed significant communication failures within the Secret Service. A bipartisan task force led by lawmakers like Rep. Chrissy Houlahan is working to address these issues and restore public trust in law enforcement and government institutions. In response to the security breaches, Congress has voted to enhance protection for presidential candidates while multiple investigations continue to uncover the full scope of the incident and its implications for future security measures.