Senators request sweeping records for Trump assassination attempt investigation

Leaders on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee are making a sweeping request for records as part of the panel’s investigation into the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) — the committee chair and ranking member, respectively — and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who lead a key subcommittee, sent letters on Thursday to the Secret Service, FBI, Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Beaver County District Attorney, Butler County District Attorney, Butler County Sheriff, Butler Township Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police.

The senators sent a lengthy list of requests to the Secret Service, which has been at the center of Congress’ questions about the shooting. That includes records or communications related to planning the security for the Trump rally, what resources the Secret Service dedicated to the rally and a timeline of officials’ actions in the lead up to and during that day. The senators also want information about any requests for additional protective sources for Trump since he left the White House in 2021.

From DHS and the FBI, the senators are asking for any intelligence related to the rally or broader threats against Trump, as well as the FBI’s assessment of security failures on July 13. They are asking state and local law enforcement agencies about their involvement at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, any documents related to security planning and a timeline of their actions in the lead up to and during the shooting, among other requests.

The committee “has initiated a bipartisan investigation into how this attack was able to occur, what security, personnel, or other failures contributed to the attempt, and steps that must be taken to ensure any mistakes are avoided in the future,” the four senators wrote in the letters to the various agencies.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is one of several committees investigating the July 13 shooting. The panel is holding a joint hearing next week with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the assassination attempt.