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Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., blasted the Secret Service and other authorities for not securing the area around former President Trump before another attempted assassination attempt against him on Sunday.
Burchett spoke to Eric Shawn on “Fox News Live” about ongoing details regarding the assassination attempt outside Trump International Golf Club where Trump was playing golf at the time. Authorities have said the suspect, later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was 300 to 500 yards before Secret Service opened fire against him.
The congressman wants answers on how the suspect was able to get that close to the former president and revealed that other lawmakers are already demanding more security measures.
“They are already calling now. And you got to ask yourself, why was there not a drone flying over wherever the president is? This is ridiculous,” Burchett said.
Sheriff vehicles are pictured near Trump International Golf Club, Sunday. Sept. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla., after gunshots were reported in the vicinity of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)
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While he had harsh criticism of the Secret Service, the Tennessee lawmaker complimented the agents who were able to spot and open fire on the suspect.
“The problem is you’ve got a Secret Service, at least in my opinion, and in the public’s eye, that is compromised and that it lacks in leadership. And you’ve got great agents on the ground, obviously, one who took that shot. But why in the world would anybody be anywhere near the perimeter of this? This line of sight that we talk about is just beyond me. So we’ve got to get some answers. I don’t think we’re going to get them during this administration, but hopefully, under the Trump administration, we’ll clean this rat’s nest out,” Burchett said.
He added, “There is no way in hell that somebody should have been that close to President Trump with an AK Steel or AK-47 or whatever it was with a scope.”
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw speaks at a press conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024, after a second assassination attempt on Trump. (Candan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)
Burchett also dismissed Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw stating how security surrounding Trump is at a lower level due to him not being the sitting president.
“Everybody sort of knows his pattern. And I know he likes to play golf, and they know when he’s in Florida, he’s going to play golf. Dadgummit, they should have closed it off. They have the power to do that. They ought to do that. They’re going to come to us for more money. I think they need to quit with the DEI hires and start putting qualified people out there in decision-making positions instead of what they’re doing right now,” Burchett said.
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Former President Trump was injured during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Burchett is a member of the House Oversight Committee who questioned Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on the first attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July.
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Editor’s Note: The article was updated to reflect Rep. Burchett is a member of the House Oversight Committee and not a member of the House task force investigating the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
