The local Pennsylvania sheriff defended the armed officer who encountered former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks on the rooftop moments before the shooting — claiming it was the right call to retreat after the gunman pointed the weapon at him.

Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe confirmed Monday that a local officer made contact with Crooks after being hoisted up to the roof by another officer — but fled when the sniper pointed his AR-style assault rifle at the officer.

“I would have done the same thing, absolutely,” Slupe told KDKA.

“All I know is the officer had both hands on the roof to get up on the roof, never made it because the shooter had turned towards the officer, and rightfully and smartly, the officer let go,” the sheriff said.

The gunman immediately fired up to eight rounds at Trump, wounding him and killing a hero firefighter in the stands.

Two others were also wounded.

Slupe added that he, specifically, was not made aware of any potential threats during Trump’s campaign speech on Saturday. 

Instead, it was that officer and other cops who were alerted to a suspicious person in the area, with the officers finding Crooks poised on the rooftop just 130 yards from the stage. 

Slupe said he was ultimately not concerned as to why the “well-equipped” officer never fired his gun at Crooks when he spotted him. 

“I mean, people think the officers are supermen like you hold on the roof with one hand while you are hanging on for dear life and pull a gun out. It doesn’t work that way,” he said. 

Slupe is among the law enforcement officials facing backlash over the apparent lapse in security around the former president. 

The sheriff, however, said “it’s too early,” to cast blame on the incident as officials continue to investigate how Crooks made it on the roof, which had a direct line of sight on Trump. 

“There is no one entity to blame for this,” Slupe told the local outlet. “This definitely is a failure.  Definitely a failure.

“The shots should not have been made. That individual should not have accessed that location to have a line in sight with his rifle,” he added. 

“It is completely unacceptable. I would have had coverage on more buildings than they had, [but] in retrospect, hindsight is always 20/20.” 

The Secret Service confirmed that it relied heavily on local police to help provide security for the rally, which included at least six officers from Butler County.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service, said Crooks should have never had access to the roof of the building as he backed calls for an “independent review of the incident.” 

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has said he plans to call Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for a July 22 hearing to investigate the security failings.