Senator Josh Hawley Calls for Declassification of DHS Documents Following Assassination Attempt

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, has urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to declassify all documents related to the attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, that occurred on July 13, 2024. At the time, Hawley was a member of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This request comes a year after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots from a rooftop during a presidential rally, narrowly missing the president.

Even now, concerns linger regarding how Crooks managed to get a clear line of fire. In his letter to Noem, Hawley reflects on the first anniversary of this shocking event.

He described the situation as a deeply troubling instance in American history, highlighting the necessity for transparency, especially during moments of national crisis. “Assassination attempts against presidents are exceedingly rare, but they carry significant consequences,” Hawley emphasized. He believes Americans expect the government to provide a full account of such incidents.

In his remarks, Hawley pointed to possible obstructions from the Biden administration and the Secret Service regarding investigations into this incident.

Hawley previously released a report in September that detailed failures of the Secret Service during Trump’s assassination attempt, suggesting a pattern of negligence and incompetence that led to the close call. He criticized various agencies, claiming they have hindered real accountability and misled the public.

To clear the air, he is requesting that all classified or private materials concerning the assassination attempt—including reports, internal communications, and coordination records with other agencies—be released as soon as possible, with only minimal edits for safety.

Furthermore, he has asked for an explanation about the ongoing classification of the documents and a timeline for declassification and public access to such materials.

Documents reviewed by the Senate Committee reveal a significant security breakdown among Secret Service agents, some of whom have since been suspended. Despite acknowledging major security concerns, they failed to take adequate precautions to secure the rooftop, which ultimately allowed Crooks to fire at the president.