Former President Donald Trump acknowledged on Fox News on Monday night that he would be open to declassifying the investigation into the assassination attempt on him if he is re-elected in November.
Trump and his running mate, Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, appeared on “Jesse Watters Primetime” to discuss the July 13 assassination attempt on the former president and the events leading up to the attack. Fox News host Jesse Watters asked Trump if he would declassify investigative files if he won the White House this year. (RELATED: Republican House member files article of impeachment against Secret Service director)
“I think so. I'm sure there's nothing to hide here,” Trump said. “But frankly, I think we know a lot now. But some of what we know is bad. How did somebody get on that roof? Why wasn't it reported? Everyone saw him on the roof. Trump supporters were yelling. A woman in a red shirt was yelling, 'There's a man on the roof,' and other people were… [saying]There's a man with a gun on the roof.
“That was well before I got on stage, so you'd think someone would do something,” Trump said.
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Following the attempted assassination of President Trump by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced strong backlash as reports emerged of security lapses. In her first interview with ABC News, Cheatle said that the Secret Service was responsible for the inner perimeter of the rally, while the outer perimeter where Crooks was located was under the watch of local police.
Reports say Crooks had plenty of time to scout the area with a drone throughout the day, and according to an anonymous law enforcement source, he was spotted by local police about 30 minutes before the attack, WPXI reported.
Police officers also climbed onto the roof and found Crooks, but climbed down a ladder to safety when the 20-year-old pointed an AR-type rifle at officers, according to the Associated Press.
In a recent letter from Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a whistleblower with knowledge of Secret Service planning alleges that guards were stationed on the roof before the rally, but later left due to “hot weather.” Cheatle's new allegations come after he previously claimed the building did not have guards stationed there because of the “sloping” roof, according to NBC News.
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