On Thursday, America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security for withholding records related to the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. AFL initiated multiple investigations in an accelerated manner on July 16, 2024, three days after the July 13 incident when a shot that could have been fatal if it had deviated by just a few centimeters barely grazed Trump’s head.
AFL submitted their request for documents detailing potential staffing shortages at the Secret Service, as well as information regarding the agency’s hiring and employment standards. The group also sought communication records between DHS Secretary Alejandro Majorkas and other senior officials, including Kristie Canegello and Jonathan Davidson, on the day of the assassination attempt. Furthermore, AFL requested calendars from key Secret Service officials such as the director and deputy director.
To date, AFL has not received any requested records despite requesting expedited processing and meeting all legal standards for receiving such proceedings. The Secret Service stated in July that it would not expedite AFL’s FOIA request on staffing shortages since there was no threat to the life or safety of anyone, and there was no urgency to inform the public about government activity. However, the agency did grant AFL’s request for expedited processing in another instance using the same justifications.
Some Democrats have criticized the DHS’s lack of response to the assassination attempt as well. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) expressed his frustration and called the Department of Homeland Security’s response “totally lacking,” even going so far as to say it was “tantamount to stonewalling.
The AFL statement emphasizes that another assassin recently attempted President Trump’s life in Florida, highlighting the genuine threats he currently faces. The group argues that their requests would help ensure that USSS and DHS leadership are sufficiently trained and staffed to ensure the safety of President Trump. They also stress the importance of transparency for the American people.
On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced an amendment directing the Secret Service to release any and all information related to the July 13 assassination attempt, which passed unanimously in the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. However, there remain many outstanding questions about the incident, with some lawmakers expressing frustration over a lack of information provided by the Secret Service and DHS.
Senate HSGAC Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Ranking Member Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that the Secret Service has refused to hand over the autopsy report of the would-be assassin Matthew Thomas Crooks, along with other documents. Johnson also mentioned he has not been able to interview the Secret Service sniper who took out Crooks and expressed concern about the lack of basic information available about the case.