Six agents suspended over Trump assassination attempt

Six Secret Service agents on duty during last year's assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally have received suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, the agency said.

The Secret Service did not identify the agents or disclose specific grounds for their suspensions.

A gunman opened fire at Mr Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on 13 July last year, while the candidate was speaking on stage.

The shooter accessed a nearby rooftop with a direct line of sight to the former president.

Mr Trump and others were injured, and a bystander and the shooter were killed. Multiple investigations were launched into the Secret Service, and its director resigned.

Mr Trump said in an interview that will air on Saturday on Fox News that the Secret Service erred by not stationing an agent on the rooftop and not including local police in the communications system.

"There were mistakes made. And that shouldn't have happened," Mr Trump said in the interview conducted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who has her own show on the Trump-friendly news channel.

Mr Trump said that the elite close-protection service "had a bad day."

The Republican - whose ear was nicked by a bullet while he addressed an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania - noted that the would-be assassin had access to a "prime building" overlooking the rally.

One bystander was killed and two other people in addition to Mr Trump were wounded before a counter-sniper killed the gunman - 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.

The sniper "was able to get him from a long distance with one shot. If he didn't do that, you would have had an even worse situation," Mr Trump said.

"His name is David and he did a fantastic job."

Speaking of the post-incident investigation and "the larger plot," Mr Trump said "I'm satisfied with it."

"It was unforgettable," he said, recalling the drama. "I didn't know exactly what was going on.

"I got whacked. There's no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming."

Secret Service Director Sean Curran, who was the agent in charge of Mr Trump's security detail at the rally, said in a statement: "The agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated in the future."

The Secret Service said it has implemented 21 of 46 recommendations made by congressional oversight bodies.

Sixteen other recommendations were in progress and nine were not directed at the Secret Service, it said.

The Secret Service said it was implementing protective measures for golf courses.

After the Butler assassination attempt, a man with a gun hid near a Trump-owned golf course in Florida with the intent to kill the then-Republican presidential candidate.