I’m a Former Secret Service Agent: These are the Failures at Trump Rally Point by Point

Dan Bongino, a Secret Service veteran of 12 years, has ripped into the agency's current chief blaming her for the Donald Trump assassination attempt.

Knewz.com has learned that despite the back and forth between the state-sponsored VIP protection group and the Butler Sheriff's Department – and even after it was found that the latter had officers in the building when the shooting took place – Bongino placed the blame for the incident squarely at the Secret Service’s door.

He gave no credit to the agency for Trump ’s continued survival, saying instead that the Republican front-runner had himself to thank for not being shot.

“Donald Trump knew to duck — most people would. He saved his own life. That’s just a fact,” Bongino claimed in a recent virtual interview.

The reason Trump had to take such action in the first place, was that the officials in charge of the presidential candidate had dropped the ball.

Bongino described “the failure” as “absolutely catastrophic.”

The former agent also claimed that he was made privy to information that there were calls for a larger protection detail around the former president.

“There have been repeated requests to increase the security footprint around, not just the residences of Donald Trump, but [Trump’s] body itself, and they have been rebuffed.”

According to Bill Gage, also a former Secret Service agent and active shooter expert, the reason for the latter is that the service is understaffed.

“They got a real opportunity after 9/11 to ask for increased funding, double the size of the agency, really increase the capabilities, and none of the directors did that,” Gage said .

“In a perfect world, you have 30 CS [counter strike] teams and 500 agents, but the Service just doesn't have those resources.”

One of the reasons for the latter is the agency’s growing purview.

“When I first joined the service in 2002, we were only protecting the president, the vice president, and a few members of their family.”

“By the time I left, we were protecting the vice president's grandkids, foreign presidents, and former presidents who were taking trips overseas.”

Bongino rubbished Gage’s insights.

“I mean, this is — you’re blaming it on manpower?”

“So, just to be clear, we’re a $4 trillion United States government , and we can’t fork over enough money to keep our people alive?”

“And then you’re sending out tweets like, ‘Oh, this is the best technology we have.’”

“Really? To let a sniper 150 yards away from the potential next president, shoot a piece of his ear off? Pshhh! That’s your victory lap? Gimme a break, man!”

“Your job is, ‘keep the body alive, no matter what.’ — Donald Trump, Joe Biden , Jill Biden, the president of Djibouti — it doesn’t matter. That is your job. They absolutely, resolutely, 100 percent failed.”

Bongino credited the incident in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday 13, to current Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle.

“The Secret Service director has completely failed, and, candidly, should resign today. Kim Cheatle has failed Donald Trump,” he told hosts on Fox News Sunday .

Notably, Cheatle has acknowledged that “the buck stops” with her and that she is responsible for the failure.