The Squiz 

Undeterred after the failed attempt on his life, former/hopeful US President Donald Trump is in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention where he’ll be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate. Early this morning he named controversial Senator JD Vance from Ohio as the Vice President who’ll run with him on the ticket. Trump will deliver a speech on Thursday which he says will be “a lot different” to the “humdinger” he originally wrote. He’s already called on Americans to “stand united” against “wickedness” and says it was “God alone” that “prevented the unthinkable”. As the fallout continues, tributes are flowing for 50yo volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore who was shot dead during the attack. Two other men who were injured remain in critical but stable condition.

Has any more been revealed about the shooter?

A little… Thomas Matthew Crooks was a 20yo nursing home employee from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, which is close to where the Trump rally was held. He was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene where a semi-automatic rifle was recovered. Reports say police also found explosives in Crooks’ car and at his home. He was also a member of a local shooting club. Former classmates described him as an “outcast” who was rejected from his high school rifle team, while voter records show he was a registered Republican, but also made a US$15 donation to a Democrat group in 2021. The FBI says he had no criminal history, and they’re still unclear about his motive. Crooks’ family is cooperating with investigators, with his father Matthew saying he wants to figure out “what the hell is going on”.

So what now?

The Secret Service is facing some serious scrutiny over how a sniper was able to access a rooftop just 150m from a former president/future candidate… As the agency charged with protecting the president, vice president and other senior government figures, it’s in the spotlight… Biden has ordered ​​an independent review and instructed Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to “review all security measures” for the Republican Convention. But the Secret Service has hit back at rumours that it denied a Trump team request for more security, or that resources had been diverted to an event featuring Dr Jill Biden. Meanwhile, in what’s shaping up to be quite a week for Trump, he’s won another major legal victory overnight with a Florida judge dismissing the criminal case against him for illegally holding onto classified documents.