Rep. Waltz to Newsmax: Secret Service Action 'Overdue'

Multiple Secret Service agents were put on leave after the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, which is "welcome news" and "overdue," said Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Green Beret appointed to the 13-member House bipartisan task force investigating the incident.

"News to us, although it's welcome, welcome news," Waltz told Newsmax congressional correspondent Kilmeny Duchardt. "I think it's a bit overdue. Every law enforcement agency I've worked with when there's been a major incident like this that involved them or some type of failure, they were immediately put on leave, paid, but put on leave and kind of sidelined pending the outcome of the investigation.

"The fact that now for what over a month, the same agents that were involved in this major failure were still out there approving security plans and providing security was alarming to many of us."

At least five members of the Secret Service were placed on administrative leave as a result of the agency's investigation into the security failures that led to the assassination attempt on Trump last month in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to multiple media reports Friday.

CBS News reported that the head of the Pittsburgh office is among those placed on administrative leave.

Waltz said the task force will continue to probe the "flawed security plan."

"This is one of the reasons [House] Speaker [Mike] Johnson established this task force, because frankly, there's not a lot of confidence in the FBI and certainly not in Alejandro Mayorkas and DHS to conduct a thorough investigation, especially when it comes to Donald Trump," Waltz said.

About NEWSMAX TV:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com