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One of the most glaring oversights, according to Bongino, was the lack of drone surveillance at the Butler rally. He mocked the agency’s failure to utilize such an affordable and accessible tool. “Now you’re seeing what happens when you don’t have a drone up at a site you could’ve bought for $39.99 on Amazon,” he quipped, underscoring the agency’s failure to adopt even the most basic modern security measures.
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The current acting director of the Secret Service, Robert Rowe, who took over after former director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation, defended the agency, stating that they are expected to do “more with less.” Bongino, however, sharply rebuked this notion. “There isn’t more with less, there is less with less. The Secret Service more-with-less approach only works if you produce more,” he argued. Bongino likened the situation to a television producer selling outdated products at a discount, claiming that the agency has been given more resources but has delivered less. He pointed out that despite the agency’s budget increasing from $2.34 billion in 2014 to $3.62 billion in 2024, the outcomes have not reflected this increase. “A 20-year-old criminal outsmarted them on a drone technology piece of device. You’re telling me that’s more with less? That’s disgusting,” Bongino fumed. “That’s less with more.”
Bongino also criticized the Secret Service’s mission priorities, arguing that the agency’s talented agents are being misused. “Their agents are talented, smart people. They can figure out how to do protection without running down cheap $20 counterfeit notes at 7-Eleven on a Friday night while the president is getting shot in the head,” he said, calling for a reevaluation of how agents’ time and skills are allocated.
Dan Bongino, who served in the Secret Service from 1999 to 2011 before pursuing a career in conservative media, has become a prominent voice in critiquing federal security practices. His experience and platform have given him a unique perspective on the issues facing the agency today. Following the release of additional footage from the Butler rally, Bongino questioned how Secret Service counter-snipers could have missed such an obvious threat to Trump’s life. “This is a cell phone camera! This is not a zoom, high, telephoto, freaking lens used to film a Marvel movie! It’s a cellphone! You can see the guy clear as day! How did they miss this?!” he exclaimed, expressing disbelief over the agency’s failure to detect the shooter. Bongino further claimed that the Secret Service is asking the public to “believe the implausible” in their explanation of why it was impossible to stop the gunman from firing the first shot.
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As the investigation continues, Bongino’s scathing testimony is likely to add pressure on the Secret Service to overhaul its practices and improve its technology. The agency’s ability to protect the nation’s leaders is under scrutiny, and Bongino’s remarks have only intensified the spotlight on their shortcomings.
