A comprehensive review of the shocking July 13 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has revealed a devastating indictment of the U.S. Secret Service. According to an independent panel tasked with examining the security failure, the agency is plagued by “deep flaws” that left the then-presidential candidate vulnerable to a near-fatal attack.

In a letter signed by all four members of the Independent Review Panel, the investigators pulled no punches, declaring that the Secret Service requires “fundamental reform” to carry out its essential duty of protecting top government officials both at home and abroad.

“The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission,” the panel warned. “Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again.”

The report serves not only as a wake-up call but also as a tribute. It honors Corey Comperatore, the patriotic family man who was killed shielding others during the assassination attempt, as well as James Copenhaver and David Dutch, who were wounded in the line of fire.

“These actions will address not only the security failures that contributed to the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt but also the systemic and foundational issues identified by the Independent Review Panel,” the letter reads.

The panel pointed to a disturbing pattern of missteps and deeper “systemic issues,” including what they described as a “troubling lack of critical thinking” among agency personnel. They noted a culture within the Secret Service that exhibits “corrosive attitudes” toward resource allocation and a worrying “lack of clarity” over who exactly holds responsibility for securing a protectee’s location.

Of particular concern was the conduct of Secret Service leadership, which the panel said demonstrated an “insufficiently experience-based approach” in assigning agents to security-critical roles at the Butler event. The panel blasted the agency’s refusal to accept accountability for planning and implementing security operations that day.

“These breakdowns reveal deep flaws in the Secret Service, including some that appear to be systemic or cultural,” the report stated.

In light of these failures, the panel has called for new leadership, preferably from outside the agency, and urged a return to the Secret Service’s “core protective mission.”

“The Secret Service must be the world’s leading governmental protective organization,” the panel emphasized. “The events at Butler on July 13 demonstrate that, currently, it is not.”

In response to the crisis, President Trump has taken decisive action by nominating Sean Curran—the man who led his personal security detail and acted heroically during the attempt on his life—to serve as the next director of the U.S. Secret Service.

Curran, widely praised for his fast, fearless response on July 13, was long seen as the top candidate for the position. President Trump confirmed the nomination with a strong endorsement via Truth Social.

“Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service,” Trump wrote.

“He is a brilliant leader, capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country and the World. He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin’s bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before,” the president added.

In a separate but equally high-stakes matter of national concern, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a sobering report on the societal and environmental risks associated with generative AI. While the GAO acknowledges the technological advances AI offers, it warns of serious consequences if left unregulated.

The report calls for AI developers to adhere to federal frameworks—such as those outlined by the GAO and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—to curb the spread of potentially harmful, AI-generated content that could pose risks to public safety, national security, and personal privacy.

Critically, the GAO highlights that generative AI models consume massive amounts of energy and water, yet developers have not been transparent about environmental impacts, particularly regarding water usage.

“The benefits and risks of generative AI are unclear, and estimates of its effects are highly variable due to a lack of available data,” the GAO stated. “The continued growth of generative AI products and services raises questions about the scale of benefits and risks.”

As AI and federal accountability remain in the national spotlight, the stark findings from the Butler assassination review demand immediate action to restore trust in the protective capabilities of a federal agency once renowned for its excellence. With President Trump at the helm and strong leadership stepping in, Americans are watching closely to see if the necessary reforms will finally be made.