Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) and Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe got into a heated yelling match during a hearing Thursday on the two assassination attempts on President-elect Donald Trump after the congressman implied that there was a security lapse at a September 11 memorial service this year.
During the final hearing of the House’s bipartisan task force to investigate the assassination attempts, Fallon displayed a photo of President Joe Biden and Trump standing at New York City’s Ground Zero during the ceremony:
At the Trump assassination hearing, chaos erupts after Rep. Pat Fallon asks Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe about his appearing as a dignitary, rather than for security at a 9/11 memorial event pic.twitter.com/52EX8C46I5
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 5, 2024
Fallon said that Rowe, who also attended the event, should have been standing near the president for security purposes.
“Who is usually at an event like this closest to the President of the United States?” he asked, gesturing at the photo. “Were you the special agent in charge [SAC] of the detail that day?”
“Actually, let me address this. … Congressman, what you’re not seeing is the SAC of detail falls out of the picture’s view,” Rowe shot back, just before the tension bubbled over.
“That is the day where we remember more than 3,000 people that have died on 9/11. I actually responded to Ground Zero. I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center,” the acting director continued, before he was cut off by an enraged Fallon.
“I’m not asking that, I’m asking you, if you were … were you the special agent in charge?” the congressman shouted into his microphone.
“I was there, Congressman! I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11!” Rowe yelled back.
The screaming continued as the committee chairman banged the gavel to regain order.
“Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe shouted at Fallon.
“I’m not,” the lawmaker shouted back.
“You are, sir. You are out of line, congressman! Way out of line,” the security official argued.
“Don’t try to bully me,” Fallon said, pointing his finger at Rowe, before accusing him of “endangering” the lives of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris because “you put those agents out of position.”
“No, I didn’t sir, and you are out of line,” Rowe jabbed, before the floor was given to Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL).
According to an October interim report released by the House panel, the July assassination attempt against Trump at his Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally occurred after “stunning security failures” that were entirely “preventable and should not have happened.”
