All The Facts Known About Acting Secret Service

Director Ronald Rowe Goes Bonkers and Starts a Shouting Match With Rep. Pat Fallon During Hearing on Trump Assassination Attempts After Being Showed a Damning Picture

The incident involving Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and Representative Pat Fallon took place during a House task force hearing regarding the assassination attempts on then-President-elect Donald Trump. Here are the key points from this event:

The hearing was part of an investigation into the security failures during two assassination attempts against Donald Trump. The Secret Service had come under scrutiny following these incidents, especially after the resignation of its former director, Kimberly Cheatle, after the first attempt in July 2024.

During the hearing, Rep. Pat Fallon displayed a photograph of a 9/11 memorial event where both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump were present. The contention arose when Fallon questioned Rowe about his position in the picture, suggesting that Rowe was not in his proper security role but was instead positioned in a way to garner visibility, possibly for career advancement.

Rowe responded by explaining that he was at the event to honor Secret Service members who had died on 9/11, and he defended his presence by stating that the special agent in charge was just out of the frame of the photo. This led to an escalation where both men accused each other of politicizing 9/11. Rowe shouted, "Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!" indicating his frustration with Fallon's line of questioning.

Fallon accused Rowe of trying to bully him and not answering his questions directly. Rowe countered by calling Fallon out of line. The confrontation escalated into a shouting match, disrupting the proceedings. The exchange was intense, with both parties raising their voices, leading Chairman Mike Kelly to attempt to restore order by banging his gavel.

Despite this heated exchange, the task force continued its work. Rowe has been acting director since Cheatle's resignation and has acknowledged the security failures, promising reforms within the agency. He mentioned implementing changes like unified command locations for protective sites and other measures to enhance security and accountability.

This event highlighted tensions between congressional oversight and the Secret Service, especially in the context of high-profile security breaches. It also underscored personal and professional pressures on Rowe as he navigates his role in the aftermath of significant security lapses.