Gaetz Denounces DEI, Politicization in Secret Service

Two attempts on former President Donald Trump's life have put the Secret Service under the microscope. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) discussed the organization's laxity and supposed politicization on Okaloosa County radio show The B-Team, calling the issues within the Secret Service "sick."

"President Trump was being denied requests for increased protection because the upper levels of the Secret Service didn't want him to look authoritative or strong. For the sake of optics and their political bias, they could TEAR THIS COUNTRY APART by leaving him vulnerable to assassination!" Rep. Gaetz tweeted to X (formerly Twitter) a clip of his call into the radio show.

Hosts Bobby Dewrell and Schuyler Black began the discussion by asking if the Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), specifically the upper echelons, were facing accountability in the wake of two attempts on Trump's life and the subsequent investigations.

"I think this is kind of late-stage [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion]," Rep. Gaetz answered, echoing previous dismissals of the system within the Service by Republicans such as Representative Cory Mills (R-FL).

"It gets away from the fundamental American value that merit ought to drive people's advancement. And the other thing is that, like what you just described, makes people less safe because it erodes their air of invincibility," the Florida Congressman continued, noting how people used to think attempting to kill the President or a presidential candidate was effectively suicide until now.

Gaetz also criticized the lack of information about shooters Thomas Crooks and Ryan Routh, saying, "How are we not getting into these devices? [Routh] had six cell phones. I want to know what was on them. Crooks had apps that were connecting him to foreign databases and foreign servers. What was that all about? And you wonder whether or not they do not want to reveal some of the worst features of this investigation before the election. And that troubles me because you have got to get to the truth despite optics."

More egregiously, Gaetz claimed rank-and-file members of the Secret Service alleged the upper echelons denied Trump extra protection because they "do not like Trump [and] do not want him to look authoritative and strong and ascendant and powerful, and so for the sake of looks and their political bias, they could tear this country apart by leaving this guy vulnerable to be killed."

While this claim cannot be verified, the Florida Congressman nevertheless called it "sick, adding that he "does not want anything bad to happen to [Kamala] Harris or [Joe] Biden or any of these people I disagree with, and I would want them fully protected."