According to his prepared remarks, Seittle is expected to take responsibility again for security failures at Trump’s July 13 campaign rally in Pennsylvania. A gunman allegedly gained access to an unsecured roof, where he opened fire with an AR-style rifle, wounding Trump, killing one person and critically wounding two others.
“The Secret Service’s mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13, we failed,” Seittle plans to testify, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. “As director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapses.”
He said the agency is fully cooperating with the FBI’s criminal investigation into the shooting and additional reviews by Congress, the Homeland Security Department of Inspector General and an independent bipartisan panel announced Sunday.
“We have to learn from what happened, and I will move heaven and earth to make sure something like July 13th doesn’t happen again,” he plans to testify. “Thinking about what we should have done differently is never far from my thoughts.”
