A House task force investigating two attempts on former President Trump's life will hold its final hearing Thursday, culminating in a highly anticipated report. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe is set to testify before the task force enters a closed-door session to finalize its findings. The focus, according to Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA), is restoring public trust in federal law enforcement.
Kelly emphasized the importance of transparency, telling Fox News Digital, "The public needs to understand what transpired that day, as considerable confusion remains." He aims to reinforce confidence in the Secret Service, an agency traditionally regarded as the "elite of the elite."
The first incident occurred at a July rally in Kelly's district, where a gunman injured Trump and others, fatally wounding one attendee. The second involved a man aiming a rifle at Trump's Florida golf course in September, prompting Secret Service agents to open fire. These events led to intense scrutiny of the Secret Service and the removal of then-Director Kimberly Cheatle.
While Kelly expressed a preference for Cheatle's testimony, he commended Rowe's subsequent leadership. He quoted Rowe as acknowledging the agency's responsibility and characterizing the situation as the "worst state the Secret Service has ever had."
The final report is expected around December 13th. A preliminary report released in October highlighted a "lack of planning and coordination" between the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies, citing insufficient communication and the absence of a key pre-rally meeting as major contributing factors to the July incident.
