Americans lack trust in Secret Service to protect candidates post-Trump shooting: Survey

Americans are showing more doubt in the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) ability to protect political candidates following last month’s failed assassination attempt on former President Trump, when he was grazed in the ear with a bullet, according to a recent survey.

The poll, released Friday by The Associated Press/ NORC Research Center, found that just 31 percent of respondents said they were “extremely” or “very confident” that USSS can keep presidential candidates safe.

Roughly 40 percent said they are “somewhat” confident in the Secret Service’s ability to provide protection ahead of the election and 28 percent say they are “not very” confident or “not at all” confident, the survey found.

USSS has come under heightened scrutiny after a gunman climbed a roof near Trump’s rally in Butler, Pa. last month and had a direct line to the former president before he began firing off shots.

One bullet grazed Trump’s ear. One event attendee was killed, and two others were in critical condition following the incident outside Pittsburgh. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was also killed.

The poll also found that 72 percent of respondents believe the Secret Service was responsible for the assassination attempt.

The law enforcement agency has undergone intense criticism from members of Congress trying to understand what led to the miscommunication between Secret Service and local law enforcement that were meant to protect the event.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testified before Congress about the security failure and later resigned. Acting Director Ronald Rowe, who also spoke before lawmakers last month, said he was “ashamed” by the shooting and said he could “not defend” why the roof hadn’t been secured prior to the campaign event.

About 50 percent of respondents in the recent poll said they believe the failure stemmed from local law enforcement in Pennsylvania. A large number also blamed the assassination attempt on political division within the United States, per the survey.

While no motive has been found by federal investigators, 78 percent of respondents said political division was to blame for the incident.

The Secret Service has pledged that things will change within the organization after the shooting but noted that communication issues are “not an easy fix.”

The survey was conducted July 25-29 among 1,143 people and has a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.