Show-Me State Times

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has raised concerns about the training of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents assigned to protective details, following new whistleblower allegations. In a letter to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Senator Hawley highlighted reports suggesting that HSI agents received inadequate training, which extended to the Butler, Pa., rally where former President Donald Trump was shot.

“Whistleblower allegations to my office report that the only training received by many HSI agents reassigned to work protective details is a single two-hour webinar on Microsoft Teams featuring pre-recorded videos,” wrote Senator Hawley. “The whistleblower alleged that these videos were not substantive and their playback was frequently riddled with technical mishaps, leaving the HSI agents ill-prepared for the protective mission to which they were newly assigned.”

He continued, “[A]ll of these allegations together suggest that a significant number of personnel tasked with providing security for former President Trump at the July 13 rally were egregiously under-prepared by the Secret Service to carry out this mission. Moreover, these latest whistleblower allegations contend HSI agents were pulled off child exploitation cases in order to serve on protective details for which they were unprepared.”

As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been investigating the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has personally surveyed the Butler site and publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous claims include reports of discouraged requests for additional security, loose security at the rally, abandoned posts on the roof where the shooter was located, and scaled-back security due to decisions made by Acting Director Rowe. Whistleblowers are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office.

On July 30, Senator Hawley questioned Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director confirmed that the Secret Service refused drones from local law enforcement—a detail revealed by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley's office.

Read the full letter here or below.

September 3, 2024

The Honorable Ronald L. Rowe, Jr.

Acting Director

U.S. Secret Service

245 Murray Ln SW, Building T-5

Washington, D.C. 20223

Dear Acting Director Rowe,

When Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents partner with the Secret Service, they should be properly trained. New whistleblower allegations contend this isn’t happening and that HSI agents reassigned to candidate details—including former President Trump’s—are woefully unprepared for the job.

Whistleblower allegations to my office report that the only training received by many HSI agents reassigned to work protective details is a single two-hour webinar on Microsoft Teams featuring pre-recorded videos. The whistleblower alleged that these videos were not substantive and their playback was frequently riddled with technical mishaps, leaving the HSI agents ill-prepared for the protective mission to which they were newly assigned. To quote the whistleblower directly: “Imagine 1,000 people logging onto Microsoft Teams at the same time after being informed at the last minute that everyone needed to login individually. Once it got rolling, the Secret Service instructor couldn’t figure out how to get the audio working on the prerecorded videos (which I’m told are the same videos as last year). All told, they restarted the videos approximately six times …. The content was not helpful.” Worse, the whistleblower alleges that since then there have been no changes or improvements in its webinar "trainings." In their words: “Nothing new, nothing improved since [the] assassination attempt on former President Trump.”

Other whistleblowers have approached my office with related testimony regarding events at Butler's July 13 rally. For example, I wrote Secretary Mayorkas on July 19 about allegations stating there were more HSI than Secret Service agents present at this event. On August 5 I wrote you concerning claims that HSI agents had never worked protective details before and did not know proper procedures; recent public reports also state these individuals "only receive[d] one power-point presentation for training."

In summary: all such claims suggest many personnel tasked with securing former President Trump during his July 13 rally lacked adequate preparation from your agency—and further assert some were pulled off child exploitation cases without sufficient readiness instead! Please address these serious issues regarding both practice usage & DHS agent deployment:

How many HSI agents attended Butler's July 13 rally?

Of those present how many underwent webinar-based protection detail training either partially or fully?

Provide copies/recordings/curriculum/materials used online when preparing special assignment-protected officers.

Has any aspect changed post-July thirteenth incident?

Were any child-exploitation case workers reallocated toward assisting protection duties—and if so how numerous?

Sincerely,

Josh Hawley

United States Senator