Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been called to account for a number of apparent security failures that led to an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last Saturday – and while he has made no move thus far to answer those questions, he did take time on Saturday to issue a memo demanding people stop criticizing female agents.

In the memo, Mayorkas complained about the “baseless and insulting” suggestions that perhaps the Secret Service should not have put women on Trump’s security detail at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.

Statement regarding recent comments questioning the presence of women in law enforcement: https://t.co/NaTdDM0R85 pic.twitter.com/dkCY7Yoalb

— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) July 20, 2024

“In the days following the attempted assassination of former President Trump, some people have made public statements questioning the presence of women in law enforcement, including in the United States Secret Service,” Mayorkas’ memo began. “These assertions are baseless and insulting.”

Mayorkas went on to note that women serve honorably in law enforcement, risking their lives and serving their communities all across the country: “They are brave and selfless patriots who deserve our gratitude and respect.”

“We in the United States Department of Homeland Security – the largest law enforcement organization in the federal government — will, with great pride, focus, and devotion to mission, continue to recruit, retain, and elevate women in our law enforcement ranks. Our department will be the better for it, and our country more secure,” Mayorkas concluded.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, critics pointed to Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, who had previously vowed to increase the number of female agents — and questioned whether or not her priorities were in the right place. Some also noted that the female agents present at the Pennsylvania rally had been much smaller than Trump.

Cheatle is expected to appear before Congress on Monday, and Mayorkas is also facing a subpoena to field questions on the matter.

Former President Donald Trump took a brief moment at his Saturday rally to poke fun at his own combover, prompting laughter from the audience when he shrugged and said, “It looks okay from the other side.”

Trump took the stage in Grand Rapids, Michigan, exactly one week after a would-be assassin opened fire on his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Before Secret Service counter-snipers were able to neutralize the threat, Trump was shot in the ear and two others were gravely injured, and firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed.

After paying tribute to Comperatore early in his Saturday rally speech, Trump pivoted to campaign issues – but paused to laugh for a moment at his own expense.

WMAL radio host Larry O’Connor shared a brief video along with the following caption: “A self-deprecating Donald Trump making fun of his own comb-over could be the wild card his campaign needs to secure a landslide.”

WATCH:

A self-deprecating Donald Trump making fun of his own comb-over could be the wild card his campaign needs to secure a landslide. pic.twitter.com/Zoh6o94ZD9

— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) July 20, 2024

“I have to just interject, if you would turn off those cameras ’cause I don’t want this, see the screen up there of me?” Trump asked. “That’s very severe, that combover, that’s a severe sucker! What’s with that one? It looks okay from the other side.”

The crowd roared with laughter, and Trump continued: “But that is very severe, I apologize. Man. I looked over, I said whoa. Look at that. Wow. That’s like a work of art.”

He pointed back toward the side he’d said looked “okay,” adding, “Only look at that one, don’t look — “