Trump defends ‘brave’ Secret Service agent who ‘protected’ him during assassination attempt after woman was attacked by online trolls: ‘She wanted to take a bullet’

Donald Trump has defended a “courageous” female Secret Service agent who “protected” him during his attempted assassination after she was attacked by online trolls.

The former president praised the female agent, saying she was willing to “take a bullet” when she came under fire after critics suggested women were unfit for such roles.

Trump survived the attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania and was quickly removed from the stage by the Secret Service.

However, many commentators seized on the failures leading up to the incident and raised concerns about the physicality and professionalism of women in such situations.

“There was no one slow, no woman to my right, no beautiful person,” Trump told the crowd at a rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota on Saturday.

‘She protected me with everything she could and was criticized by fake news for not being tall enough.

‘She was so brave, she protected me with everything she could think of, she would have loved to take a bullet.’

The Republican candidate decided to respond after criticism from experts, lawmakers and top donors.

“There should be no women in the Secret Service,” Daily Wire host Matt Walsh wrote on X.

“These should be the very best, and none of the very best in this job are women.”

“A small person as a body covering for a big man is like wearing a small Speedo at the beach – it doesn’t do the job,” said X owner Elon Musk. “It can be a man or a woman, to be clear, it just has to be big enough to get the job done.”

Donald Trump has defended a ‘courageous’ female Secret Service agent who ‘protected’ him during his attempted assassination after she was attacked by online trolls

The former president praised the female officer and said she would “take a bullet” after critics suggested women were not qualified for such positions

Right-wing commentators seized on the failures leading up to the moment to raise concerns about the physicality and professionalism of women in active shooter situations.

Edited videos, viewed millions of times online, showing a female Secret Service agent struggling to put away her weapon only serve to amplify the comments.

Sexist comments were also made about former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, with many claiming she was hired solely to meet diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

Cheatle resigned following the widespread security breaches that allowed gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks to open fire at the July 13 rally, despite having been identified as a suspect in the hours before.

She was hounded by angry senators at the Republican Party national convention, demanding answers.

“DEI results in DIE,” Rep. Cory Mills said Fox news“We have to understand that this is about meritocracy. This is not about a quota.”

The Secret Service is approximately 25 percent female and employs approximately 2,000 women.

Former agent Melanie Burkholder told NewsNation that all candidates are subjected to the same rigorous testing.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi also responded negatively to the sexist analysis.

Trump made the comments during a rally in St Cloud, Minnesota on Saturday

This 2021 photo provided by Bethel Park School District shows shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was the target of unfounded sexist speculation that she was hired solely to meet diversity goals

“It is an insult to the women of our agency to suggest that they are unqualified based on gender. Such unsubstantiated claims undermine the professionalism, dedication and expertise of our workforce,” a statement read. CNN.

‘Our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion ensures we attract the best talent and build a robust and effective team that reflects the society we serve.

“We stand united against any attempt to discredit our staff and their invaluable contributions to our mission. We are appalled by the derogatory and disgusting comments made about our staff.”

However, the agency has come under intense scrutiny following the shooting, and is dealing with a series of failures that allowed Crooks to access the roof unhindered, where he shot Trump.

While the former president managed to escape, firefighter Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed while trying to shield his family from the bullets.

It has now become known that Crooks was spotted hours before the meeting. Concerned attendees alerted the police to his presence.

The Secret Service is under scrutiny after the shooting and a series of failures that allowed Crooks to access the roof where he shot Trump unhindered.

It took nearly 30 minutes for those tasked with protecting the former president to notice that his would-be assassin had climbed onto a roof and landed in a spot just 100 feet from where Donald Trump was speaking.

The video shows that there were 43 seconds between the first series of shots and the moment a Secret Service agent said, “The shooter is down.”

But despite the quick response, questions remain about the initial reaction.

Video footage taken just before the shooting shows a man talking to a local police officer and pointing to the roof of the building where Crooks was lurking.

Other bystanders can be heard directing the officer to the roof.

A witness told KDKA the shooting started shortly after he told an officer he saw Crooks.

Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe said a Butler County Township deputy was hoisted onto the roof, where he encountered Crooks.

“All I know is the officer had both hands on the roof ready to climb up, but he didn’t because the shooter had turned toward the officer. And rightly and smartly, the officer let go,” Slupe said.

According to experts, the roof has been identified as a potential safety hazard and should therefore be swept.