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Former Secret Service Agent Suggests Agency Has Political Bias Against Trump Following Second Assassination Attempt

A former Secret Service agent alleged on Tuesday that political bias has permeated the agency, following a second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, during an appearance on Fox News. (Screenshot/Fox News)

A former Secret Service agent alleged on Tuesday that political bias has permeated the agency following a second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

In an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle,” former Secret Service agent Richard Staropoli accused the Secret Service of allowing “personal political feelings to permeate the senior most levels,” and suggested a breakdown in the nonpartisan integrity that the service is mandated to uphold. Staropoli further alleged that bias has trickled down to field agents, potentially compromising their duty to protect.

“He [Trump] describes it as the most dangerous business, a very dangerous business, it shouldn’t be. This is why the Secret Service exists, yet somewhere along the line, they’ve allowed their own personal political feelings to permeate the senior most levels of the Secret Service,” Staropoli told Laura Ingraham. “And that has made its way down to the level of the field agents, the Secret Service is broken. They are not doing their job.”

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Trump described campaigning as a “dangerous business” during a Tuesday Town hall in Michigan, according to USA Today. Trump hosted the town hall just days after Secret Service agents foiled an assassination attempt at his Florida golf course on Sunday, which follows a previous attack in July where Trump was wounded and an attendee killed at a Pennsylvania rally.

With a career spanning over two decades, including high-stakes assignments with Presidents Clinton and Bush, Staropoli said he understood the pressures and challenges of the job, however, the recent failures around Trump’s security disturbs him. He argued that the agency should have anticipated the threat at a location Trump frequented.

“The Secret Service with a $4 billion budget and 7 ,000 employees can’t predict and can’t pre-post an event that’s going to happen on a golf course,” he added. “That the president not only owns but has been golfing on every Sunday for the last 20 years.”

Staropoli delved into the details of the first assassination attempt allegedly orchestrated by Thomas Crooks, emphasizing the agency’s missteps throughout the process.

“Let’s add in the fact that you exposed of the body the way too quickly, you contaminated that crime scene and quite simply has any Secret Service agent even interviewed the family what what’s going on here,” he added. “They have left totally unresolved questions and have fed into conspiracy theories that we will be talking about 50 and 60 years from now, this could have all been avoided if the acting director simply would have stepped in front of the cameras right from the outset.”

The Secret Service requested a budget increase from Congress following the second assassination . Amidst negotiations, some lawmakers advocated for more funds while others demanded new leadership.

The Secret Service did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.