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Acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe erupted into a screaming match against Rep. Pat Fallon after the Texas Republican ripped the protective agency’s failures that enabled two assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump.

Fallon lambasted Rowe for waiting days before visiting the Butler, Pa., site where Trump was nearly killed on July 13 — and then presented a photo showing the acting director standing near the incoming president — without a protective agent in view — during the Republican’s visit to New York to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Underpinning the explosive exchange were criticisms from lower-level members of the Secret Service who believed that Rowe’s attendance at the memorial last month undermined Trump’s security because it affected the chain of command, Fallon later told The Post. 

Fallon chided Rowe for waiting days before visiting the Butler, Pa., site where Trump was nearly killed on July 13. Getty Images
Secret Service acting dDirector Ronald L. Rowe Jr. testifying at a House task force hearing about the security failures. AP

“Who is usually at an event like this closest to the President of the United States?” Fallon asked Rowe, pointing to the photo where Trump was seen without an agent next to him and insinuating that the acting director had wanted to stand in a place of prominence for the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. “Were you the special agent in charge of the detail that day?”

“Actually, let me address this,” Rowe replied, clearly irritated as if the rep hit a nerve. “Actually, congressman, what you’re not seeing is the SAC [Special Agent In Charge] of the detail out of the picture’s view. And that is the day where we remember more than 3,000 people that have died on 9/11. 

“I actually responded to Ground Zero. I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center,” he added. “I was there congressman — I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11. Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes.”

“I am not asking you that. I am asking, were you the special agent in charge?” Fallon shot back during some crosstalk, his voice growing louder. “You were not — Oh that’s a bunch of horse hockey.”

“You know why you were there, because you wanted to be visible, because you are auditioning for this job that you’re not doing to get,” he yelled during their confrontation, accusing him of endangering lives.

“You are out of line, congressman. Way out of line,” Rowe screamed. “I am a public servant who has served this nation and spent time on our country’s darkest day.”

Agents had privately complained about Rowe’s attendance and argued that if something went wrong at the memorial, the chain of command may have been confused.

Ronald Rowe took over the agency after Kimberly Cheatle resigned under immense pressure following the assassination attempt.

Fallon later told reporters he was unaware of Rowe’s history of service to the country on Sept. 11, 2001, and contended that if he wanted to attend the memorial, he should’ve done so as a dignitary instead. 

He said he is opposed to Rowe being retained as leader of the Secret Service in the next administration after the acting director “blew up like a child” during the hearing. 

“So my point in bringing it up was, we clearly didn’t learn enough from [July] the 13th where the president almost President Trump was almost killed,” he told reporters. “These are pretty high-profile folks [at the memorial[. So why are you getting in the middle of their protection? Because that’s a bunch of bulls—.”

“My prediction is come January 20th, he will not be retained as director.”

Rowe acknowledged in the fiery confrontation that he wasn’t the special agent in charge that day and insisted that it “did not affect protective operation.”