Former First Lady Melania Trump called for explanations on Tuesday regarding the attempt on her husband's life, raising concerns about the role of law enforcement in the violent incident. She suggested that the complete account was not being revealed and hinted at a potential conspiracy, saying "there's more to the story" and we need to "uncover the truth."
Secret Service has been slammed for its failure to stop would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks from shooting at Trump. "The attempt to end my husband's life was a horrible, distressing experience," Donald Trump's wife said in a 30-second clip posted on her social media accounts. "Now, the silence around it feels heavy."
Melania Wants Answers
"I can't help but wonder why didn't law enforcement officials arrest shooter before the speech. There is definitely more to this story. And we need to uncover the truth," she added.
Posted ahead of Trump's first debate with Vice President Kamala Harris later that day, the video ends with a call to pre-order her new memoir, "Melania."
This also marks one of the rare occasions when the ex-First Lady has addressed the assassination attempt on her husband during his campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13.
In the footage, the 54-year-old former First Lady appears dressed in black, with a dark screen behind her and ominous music playing in the background.
Following the shooting, Melania released an extensive statement expressing gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts in safeguarding the former president.
"When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change," she said at the time.
"I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband."
The Mystery Continues
It's unclear how the assassination attempt relates to Melania Trump's upcoming book, scheduled for release on October 1. She announced her memoir about two weeks after the attack, and it's unclear whether she will address the incident in her book.
Questions have been raised about the assassination attempt, particularly regarding how shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to access the roof of a building within view of Trump.
There are also concerns about the roles played by the Secret Service and local law enforcement, including whether the two agencies communicated effectively that day.
The gunman fired at Trump from nearly 150 yards away, from a rooftop near the outdoor rally but outside the venue, meaning he bypassed the usual screening process for rally attendees.
It remains unclear why the Secret Service did not secure that area and why it took so long for officers to respond. Trump was hit by a stray bullet, which caused bleeding from his ear.
In response, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle admitted that her agency failed in its duty to protect the former president.
"The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders. On July 13th, we failed," she said. She later resigned as head of the agency.
