Former agent sees ‘striking’ similarities between threat on golf course and incident in July

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Two months after the US secret service came under criticism for failing to prevent an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, there are new concerns following Sunday's near-assassination attempt on his golf course in West Palm Beach.

A former US intelligence agent highlights the unique aspects of both incidents.

ALSO READ: Suspect in Trump assassination attempt may have hidden near course for 12 hours

“The similarities are striking,” former agent Tim Miller told CBS12 News on Monday. “In Crooks' case, he was walking around. He was flying drones. In this case, according to the phone records and investigative data obtained so far, [Routh] He was on site for over 12 hours.”

Miller says the gunman climbed onto a rooftop near the campaign rally stage in July armed with an AR-15 before Trump was shot in the ear. On Sunday, agents spotted the suspect's AK-47-style rifle protruding through a fence on the golf course.

Miller says it's clear that securing outdoor areas could be difficult after both cases.

ALSO READ: From his perspective: Trump remembers apparent assassination attempt on West Palm Beach golf course

“Identifying a threat is one thing. Containing it is another, and they have failed twice. I think that has a lot to do with the mindset and resource allocation of the current leadership,” Miller said. “There needs to be a really serious investigation into how this happened, because it's not an accident that these things happen.”

Acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe defended the agency's response during a press conference Monday afternoon, saying that after funding was already allocated following the July incident, it was proof that the agency was functioning after Sunday's events.

“The former president's protective apparatus enabled early detection of the threat and led to a safe evacuation. Increased resources ordered by President Biden were on the scene yesterday,” Rowe said during the press conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Tim Miller adds: “When something like this happens, good leadership says: We have to work from the top down and solve the problem.”