WASHINGTON − On Friday, the Secret Service admitted to significant lapses in communication and a lack of diligence among its agents when former President Donald Trump was targeted in a shooting during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“It is crucial for us to take responsibility for the failures that occurred on July 13, and to learn from these lessons to prevent another incident like this from happening,” stated Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. during a press conference at agency headquarters.

“Failure is not an option for us,” Rowe asserted. “This was clearly a failure of the United States Secret Service.”

According to an internal preliminary report, the agency identified several communication and operational failures leading up to the shooting. These included inadequate command and control, poor communication, and a lack of diligence, the report indicated.

The Secret Service bears the responsibility for ensuring the safety of former presidents, and Rowe emphasized that the agency should not rely solely on local law enforcement to secure venues where potential threats may arise.

“We cannot offload our responsibilities to others,” Rowe declared.

The agency intends to broaden the security perimeter around its protectees, which will necessitate additional resources, according to Rowe.

The acting director indicated that the agency would be pursuing accountability, which may involve disciplinary actions against certain personnel.

Rowe did not specify how many employees might face penalties or their ranks within the organization. “These individuals will be held accountable, and this agency has one of the most robust penalty structures within the federal government,” he remarked.

“I haven’t asked for anyone to retire,” he added.

The Secret Service is facing heightened criticism after allowing a young assailant to climb onto a nearby roof and fire eight rounds at the July rally in Pennsylvania. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, injured Trump with a graze to his ear, killed one person, and injured two others before a Secret Service sniper neutralized him.

On Sunday, Ryan Wayne Routh, aged 58, was arrested after Secret Service agents fired at him during an incident at a Trump golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh reportedly constructed a sniper’s perch on the treeline and aimed a rifle at the green when he was noticed.

Investigators revealed that he had been waiting for Trump for 12 hours, which raised concerns regarding the thoroughness of the Secret Service’s location sweep prior to Trump’s arrival.

“The events of Sunday highlight the significant threats that the Secret Service deals with on a daily basis,” Rowe commented. “We have faced an increasingly perilous threat landscape since July 13.”

On the legislative front, the House unanimously approved a measure on Friday to mandate that the Secret Service provide an equal number of agents for the presidential nominees from both major parties, mirroring the protection offered to the president and vice president. Rep. Mike Lawyer, R-N.Y., stated he co-sponsored the bill with Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., “because we both recognize that elections in America should be decided at the polls, not via an assassin’s actions.”

The bill is now set to be reviewed by the Senate.

“The threat is persistent,” Rowe noted. “It is not something that will fade away soon.”

Rowe reassured that the Secret Service has deployed the same tactical resources, including sniper teams, for party nominees as it does for the president and vice president.

“This has been our standard operational procedure since July 13,” he confirmed.

Despite the growing challenges, Rowe stated that the agency will maintain its standards for new hires, reporting that over 400 special agents were brought on this year with application rates at an all-time high.

“We’ve turned the corner,” Rowe remarked.

Rowe did not provide details regarding security measures for Trump at his expected attendance at Saturday’s college football matchup between Alabama and Georgia.

“Each event presents its own complexities,” he concluded.