The House Task Force investigating the chilling assassination attempts on President-elect Trump has unveiled its final report, exposing a web of “preexisting conditions and leadership failures” that culminated in the horrific campaign rally attack in Pennsylvania this past July.

Despite being equipped with substantial information on the July 13 shooting, the report sharply criticized the lack of cooperation regarding the second attempt on Trump’s life — this time at his Palm Beach golf course in September. Requests for key documents were reportedly stonewalled by federal agencies.

“The Task Force notes that as of the date of publication of this report, [the Department of Homeland Security], [U.S. Secret Service], FBI, and [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] have not produced any documents responsive to the Task Force’s requests regarding the preparation for, events of, and response to the second assassination attempt that occurred on September 15,” the report stated.

The report laid bare “critical vulnerabilities” in securing Trump’s golf course, where Secret Service agents flagged the outer perimeter as “a favorable position for potential snipers.” Such oversights underscore the pressing need for the agency to overhaul its security protocols, particularly for high-profile venues like golf courses.

In a scathing critique of current policies, the task force recommended significant changes, including removing the Secret Service from DHS oversight — a bureaucratic shift that could help restore the agency’s autonomy and effectiveness.

“The current structure potentially weakens USSS, a small but critically important agency, in advocating for its budget and other priorities inside a much larger entity,” the report noted.

“The failure in [Butler, Pennsylvania] was far from the first significant USSS failure in recent history, and it is fair to question whether USSS should continue to be housed within DHS.”

For two decades, the Secret Service has operated under DHS, but the task force suggested the agency might perform better as an independent entity, free to prioritize its critical mission of protecting America’s leaders without unnecessary red tape.

“A fresh look at whether USSS might benefit from the status of an independent agency, with more freedom to make budget requests and advocate for itself, would be a healthy discussion for former USSS leaders to have with Congress,” the report proposed.

The task force also flagged resource mismanagement as a pressing issue, calling for limits on the ballooning number of individuals under Secret Service protection.

“The number of individuals being protected has greatly expanded, a resource demand which becomes further taxed during the longer and more intensive modern presidential campaign seasons,” it said.

Particularly damning was the strain caused by protecting foreign dignitaries during the UN General Assembly — held the same month as the September attempt on Trump’s life. The report urged Congress and DHS to consider offloading such duties to allow the Secret Service to focus on safeguarding U.S. leaders.

“As a result, Congress, DHS, and the USSS should jointly consider the protective role the USSS plays for foreign leaders and consider whether such duties can be transferred or abrogated in order to focus on the USSS’s primary duty: to protect the President and other critical U.S. leaders,” the report said.

The House’s unanimous vote to form this committee earlier this year was a rare bipartisan move, prompted by the grim events of July 13, when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, k*lling one attendee, injuring Trump and two others, and leaving serious questions about the Secret Service’s competence.

Two months later, another would-be assassin — a 58-year-old man — was thwarted by USSS agents at Trump’s Palm Beach golf course, but the report contrasted the two events starkly.

“The various failures in planning, execution, and leadership on and before July 13, 2024, and the preexisting conditions that undermined the effectiveness of the human and material assets deployed that day, coalesced to create an environment in which the former President — and everyone at the campaign event — were exposed to grave danger,” the report said.

“Conversely, the events that transpired on September 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida, demonstrated how properly executed protective measures can foil an attempted assassination.”

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged the findings, stating, “The U.S. Secret Service appreciates the diligence and dedication displayed by Chairman Kelly, Ranking Member Crow, and the distinguished members of the House Task Force as they investigated and identified the factors that contributed to the assassination attempt of President-elect Donald Trump and the Secret Service’s failures during the protective advance leading up to July 13th in Butler, Pennsylvania.”

“The findings of the House Task Force align with our internal Mission Assurance Inquiry. Today’s report reinforces our resolve to bring change to the Secret Service. We continue to take action to acquire new technologies, strengthen training, develop our personnel, and seek resources to fortify the Secret Service,” Guglielmi added.

What are your thoughts on the United States Secret Service ever since the assassination attempts on Donald Trump? Are they in need of serious reform with Trump about to enter the White House soon? Let us know in the comments below!