The federal government’s chief whistleblower protection official on Friday encouraged federal employees to provide tips on failures that led to a gunman nearly killing former President Donald Trump.

Hampton Dellinger, who runs the independent Office of Special Counsel, said the government must get to the bottom of “vital questions” about Saturday’s security arrangements and that whistleblowers can be part of that.

“I applaud Congress for taking the lead on investigating how this failure could have happened. Senior federal officials are being called to testify. But any federal employee with knowledge of potential wrongdoing, or with knowledge of any ongoing issues that could endanger protectees or the public, can help,” Mr. Dellinger said.

He said those with information can go directly to Congress, an inspector general or his office.

He said federal law will protect those who come forward.

The Secret Service has struggled to explain why it left a rooftop unsecured during Mr. Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

A gunman made it up there and unleashed a series of shots before being slain by a Secret Service countersniper.

Secret Service officials’ attempts at explanations have been met with fury on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have mocked the responses and expressed outrage at all the unanswered questions.

President Biden has said Mr. Trump got all the protection he asked for, though the president has also ordered an investigation.

Mr. Trump was hit in the ear by a...

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