There’s Competent, Professional Executive Protection, And Then There’s What Happened in Butler, Pennsylvania

Trump assassionation Secret Service
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

No one likes a Monday morning quarterback (GenZ readers, ask your fathers). Nevertheless, the FAA thoroughly investigates all airplane crashes to determine what went wrong and figure out if the cause of the crash could have been prevented. They then publish their findings in hopes of keeping such crashes from occurring again.

On Saturday, in a field in Butler, Pennsylvania, the entire nation witnessed a spectacular crash in real time, a monumental failure by the United States Secret Service, that but for the grace of God, could have cost President Donald Trump his life. So even before any Congressional or independent investigation of the assassination attempt takes place, it’s important to know what executive protection should entail before assessing the debacle that was on display in Pennsylvania. 

Environmental Control

The first layer of defense or protection used by those providing executive protection and professional security is to exercise the greatest amount of control possible over the environment in which the protectee is living or operating. For business executives and private persons, such a task is far simpler than for those who have to go out in public, as is the case with politicians.

Environmental control involves numerous aspects. This includes access control in regards to people; who is allowed in and under what circumstances. There’s also ingress/egress control; how many points of entry and exit are there and who is controlling them? Threat assessment is another area. Is there a specific threat based on intelligence or are we addressing unknown, but predictable threats such as bombs, snipers, and close-in shooters. Layers of security are created during this phase of the operation.  

Environmental control is a team effort that also includes a dedicated and thorough site advance evaluation. The advance team needs to have a professional and experienced leader. In practice, advance work should be conducted by experienced people, not rookies. All of the aforementioned are the tasks accomplished by genuine bodyguards, but no one sees or thinks about them. 

Counter-Sniper Overwatch

Just like on the battlefield, the goal of the protection team is to locate and hold the high ground, whatever that might be. The high ground is where we place not only sharpshooters or counter-snipers, that’s also where we place observers whose job it is to keep their eyes moving constantly in order to spot potential threats. Constant overwatch through high-powered optics puts a strain on the eyes and the mind. That’s why it’s a multiple person job.

I’m not going to go into the specifics of the attempted Trump assassination. What the would-be assassin did from his vantage point, what the counter-snipers did, as well as whether or not they hesitated too long or were deliberately hampered by those on their command is a topic that’s being dissected by hundreds, if not thousands of people right now.

Close Personal Protection

When we think of bodyguards or Secret Service agents, we all envision the men (and now the incompetent women) in sunglasses standing around the VIP, staring at the crowd. In the celebrity world, the bodyguard is massive, obvious, and as often as not, the one who pushes people away from the protectee. 

As someone who has done that job, I can tell you that a single “bodyguard” isn’t genuine security. It’s the illusion of security. If a person genuinely requires professional security, they need a team of men, not one giant guy. 

While the men in sunglasses standing around the President are the most obvious protectors, they are actually only there for the worst-case scenario. A bodyguard jumping in front of a bullet is the last resort, not the first option. If the men within touching distance of the protectee have to draw their guns, there have already been multiple failures to get to that point.  

Get Off the X

So if the close personal protection team that’s surrounding the protectee is there as a last resort, what are they supposed to do? Three words: shield, shoot, and ,move. Literally the second that the team realizes there’s a deadly threat to the protectee they must shield the protectee physically. (It’s kind of tough to shield a 6’3” man when the bodyguard is a 5’4” woman, but I digress.)

The shooting part is secondary to the shielding part and only happens if the deadly threat is right there and can be engaged effectively. On close protection teams, every person has an assigned role and during a crisis they must perform that role immediately, without hesitation. In military operations there is a saying; “Drivers drive, leaders lead, and shooters shoot.” Everyone has to know their role.

It should be mentioned that the shooter can also shield the protectee at the same time. Additionally, if the threat is down or distant, or it’s something like an explosion, the shooter takes the role of human plow, clearing the egress route for the other movers. If one of the movers is down, the shooter becomes a mover.

For those whose role it is to move the protectee toward safety, that’s their one and only job…move the protectee off of the X as fast as humanly possible. When we say “move” the protectee, we don’t mean assist them in walking away. Those persons on the close protection team must be capable of literally lifting and carrying the protectee out of harm’s way — now — not in a little while, not after someone gives the all clear, but NOW. Immediately.

During the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, two Secret Service agents physically moved the President into the waiting limousine within seconds of the first shot being fired. The after action report said that John Hinckley fired six shots in 1.7 seconds. By the time the sixth shot was fired, Reagan was inside the limo. 

Reagan assassination attempt
By Michael Evans – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain 

Naturally the primary, secondary, and other egress routes are pre-planned and understood by everyone on the close protection team so there’s no confusion as to which way to go when you need to go. Emergency transportation will be standing by and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Support vehicles likewise are on standby to clear the route.

I shouldn’t have to point out that the detail leader is responsible for ensuring that all personnel know their roles and are prepared to execute those roles immediately. Finally, everyone on the team has to have clear communication with the rest of the detail so hesitancy and confusion can be kept to an absolute minimum in an emergency.

There is a lot more that goes into providing professional security or “bodyguard” services, but this is a solid overview of the basics…the bare minimum of what needs to happen. Now that you know how it should be done, you can watch the video of what actually happened on July 13 and come to your own conclusions regarding the current state of the United States Secret Service under the control of the diversity hire who is currently in charge.

 

Paul G. Markel was professionally trained in Executive Protection and worked as a bodyguard in the United States and overseas during the 1990’s into the mid 2000’s before going to work as a military contractor during GWoT. He’s a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades. Mr. Markel wrote a book on providing executive protection called “Have Passport, Will Travel. Field Notes for the Modern Bodyguard”

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13 thoughts on “There’s Competent, Professional Executive Protection, And Then There’s What Happened in Butler, Pennsylvania”

  1. Justin Hoffman

    Couldn’t have said it better myself, Paul. Sad state of affairs. They are already calling “the shooter’s bullets violent”, instead of the shooter themselves being violent and evil. I could literally probably hold my breath until the time where they’re screaming for assault weapons bands and survive the breath hold.

  2. uncommon_sense

    This article assumes that incompetence enabled the successful attempt on the protectee’s life.

    My personal opinion (which countless people share): one or more people intentionally enabled the successful attempt on the protectee’s life.

    1. Any moron could have done a better job than the paid professionals did. I also believe they were complacent. Maybe involved.

      Sad to say this as it goes against everything I believed about the America I grew up in and have lived in my entire life. But it seems that’s where we are today. The glory days are over. The present is just unimaginable but evidently reality.

  3. It's the plan, man.

    I’m kinda on board with the theory that it was allowed to happen, the shooter fucked up and then the SS has to act or it’d been too obvious it was allowed.

    Trump gets taken out, act blamed on Iran who the media reported right after had allegedly planned to go for Trump, which escalates our action against Iran with Israel.

    Every body who needs something gets something. Biden looks tough and not senile. The apparent gesture may bring people together for a short time because everybody loves revenge war. The anti-Israel noise falls to the background. The globalists, neocons and neoliberals get to play war in the sand and protect the shipping lanes. NATO gets to move a fuck ton of shit to Russias doorstep setting up the logical next phase.War is always good for resetting an economy and pressing more liberty out of the people.

    All the power players would have gotten what they want if only that bullet hit its mark.

    They still have time to make it work. They can take out Trump or Biden and get it. Maybe even both.

    If Trump wins there needs to be some serious warhawk, deep state cleansing. No more CIA shenanigans. No more central banker plots.

    1. JD Jones? THAT JDJones? If so I have one of your .309 contenders! Love it. Always wish I had gotten a .375.

  4. Most glaring issue to me: the shooter knew he wouldn’t be challenged ingressing the perimeter with a weapon and gaining high ground that had been surveilled before. One agent on the roof, obvious sniper pos, would have terminated the operation. Who got paid off?

  5. OldParatrooper

    Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by incompetence.

    I’ve seen nothing that indicates an organized plot, but plenty that points to incompetence.

  6. Mathew Jenkins

    Paul, it’s mat Jenkins, remember the Brit from ECS ? Well my friend after reading your article I find it absolutely refreshing that someone with the knowledge that we have has finally put pen to paper.
    Excellent article my friend .

      1. Daniel Larson

        Great article Paul. As a fellow ESI grad and SOTG, I’ve had to explain many of these same points to a lot of folks since the event.

  7. Lots of incompetence on display from many. The one thing that has bothered me is all the talking heads and politicians are distinguishing between USSS leadership and the members of the actual protective detail. In my view the detail leader bears a lot of responsibility here, because he should have made sure everything was good to go before letting Trump take the stage. Surely, he should have verified all of the counter-sniper personnel were in their correct positions and there were no known threats before green lighting Trump to move?