Trump rally in Butler: agents had just two hours of training

During a rally in Butler, Missouri, agents assigned to protect Donald Trump were reportedly Homeland Security agents who had only undergone a mere two hours of online training. This alarming revelation came from Senator Josh Hawley, who cited whistleblower information indicating that these agents were not adequately prepared for their critical role. The training they received was so deficient that the sound was reportedly non-functional for about half of the duration, raising serious concerns about their readiness to ensure the former president's safety. The scrutiny surrounding the Secret Service intensified following Trump's narrow escape from an assassination attempt in July. Investigations have been launched to examine the failures that contributed to this incident, with particular focus on the security measures in place during public appearances. Hawley highlighted that the agents were pulled from child exploitation cases to provide security at the rally, further questioning the prioritization of resources within the Department of Homeland Security. A previous whistleblower report indicated that a Secret Service officer had discouraged requests for additional security at the rally, which raises further concerns about the decision-making processes leading up to the event. The bipartisan House task force investigating the assassination attempt has since requested extensive records from both the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security to better understand the security preparations and decisions made. In light of these revelations, there are calls for accountability within the Secret Service, with Hawley describing the security failures at the rally as a 'nightmare.' The situation underscores the urgent need for reform and improved training protocols to ensure the safety of public figures in the future.