Donald Trump on assassination bid: Wasn't warned of a problem

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said on Saturday nobody warned him of a problem in the lead-up to the former president's rally in Pennsylvania when a would-be assassin shot him in the ear.

"Nobody mentioned it, nobody said there was a problem. I would've waited for 15, they could've said let's wait for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 5 minutes, something. Nobody said," Trump told Fox News in an interview.

"I think that was a mistake," he added. "How did somebody get on that roof? And why wasn't he reported?"


The Washington Post on Saturday reported that top officials at the US Secret Service repeatedly rejected requests from Trump's security detail for more manpower and gear at events before the attempted assassination on July 13.

The agency, which is responsible for Trump's protection, denied these requests, saying at times that it lacked resources, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi has previously denied accusations that the agency had rebuffed requests for more security resources from Trump's team.

In an emailed statement to Reuters on Sunday, he said, "In some instances where specific Secret Service specialised units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee."

"This may include utilising state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee," Guglielmi added.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is set to testify before the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee on Monday for a hearing related to the July 13 shooting.

Heat on Secret Service head
With the Secret Service acknowledging that it denied some requests by Trump's campaign for increased security at his events in the years before the assassination attempt on him at a recent rally, the agency's director could face more pressure.

The acknowledgement is likely to be a key focus of the congressional hearing Monday where Cheatle is expected to appear before lawmakers who have been expressing anger over security lapses that allowed a 20-year-old gunman to climb atop the roof of a nearby building at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and fire his weapon.