Mayorkas Shuts Down House Republican’s ‘Baseless and Irresponsible’ Claim He Denied Trump Security

Without evidence, some allies of former President Donald Trump claimed that he had been denied additional security measures from the Secret Service tasked with protecting him, resulting in an assassination attempt that left two injured and one dead. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was confronted with these claims on CNN and called them “baseless and irresponsible.”

Speaking to CNN anchor Kate Bolduan on Monday, Mayorkas classified the ability of Thomas Matthew Crooks to access the rooftop of a building so close to where Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania as a “failure” on the part of the Secret Service . Sharp criticism has been leveled at the Secret Service since the attempt on Trump’s life on Saturday, and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) has been one of several Trump allies claiming that Mayorkas was responsible for denying requests by Trump for additional security:

Bolduan: I did want to ask you, because this has been, this has popped up — Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, he said on social media on Saturday, and I’m going to read this for you because it does talk about you, Secretary. “I have very reliable sources telling me that there have been repeated requests for stronger Secret Service protection for President Trump. Denied by Secretary Mayorkas.” Your department has already pushed back on that calling that absolutely false, but he is putting this on you. Can you respond to that, please?

Mayorkas: Well, that is yeah, that’s a that’s a a baseless and irresponsible statement, and it is one that is unequivocally false.

Anthony Guglielmi , spokesman for the Secret Service, not only denied the claims in a post on Twitter/X , but stated that there were additional security measures added for Trump’s campaign travel:

President Joe Biden vowed to conduct an independent investigation of the Secret Service and provide “every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure [Trump’s] continued safety” as well as a review of all security and safety measures regarding the Republican National Convention. U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has promised her full participation in the investigation.