WASHINGTON: US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday, a day after acknowledging that the agency failed in its mission to prevent an assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally.
Cheatle’s resignation came a day after she appeared before a congressional committee and admitted that the Secret Service had failed in its mission to protect Trump from the gunman at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
“It is overdue, she should have done this at least a week ago,” remarked Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, expressing satisfaction that Cheatle had responded to calls from both Republicans and Democrats.
During her testimony on Monday, Cheatle characterized the incident as “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.” Her acknowledgment followed bipartisan criticism over her handling of the agency’s response to the attempted assassination, particularly her reluctance to provide detailed information during the hearing due to ongoing investigations.
The assailant, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire on Trump with an AR-style assault rifle shortly after the former president began addressing the rally attendees. Positioned on the roof of a nearby building, Crooks fired eight shots before being swiftly neutralized by a Secret Service sniper within 30 seconds of the first shot.
Investigations have revealed that Crooks acted alone, with no clear ideological or political motives identified. The attack resulted in serious injuries to two rally attendees and the fatal shooting of Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter.
Former White House physician Ronny Jackson said over the weekend that Trump sustained a two-centimeter gunshot wound to his right ear, narrowly avoiding a potentially fatal injury.
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Cheatle, who served as a Secret Service agent for 27 years before assuming her role as director in 2022 under President Joe Biden, previously held security leadership positions at PepsiCo in North America following her retirement from the agency in 2021.
Following her appearance before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin issued a joint statement calling for Cheatle’s resignation. “Director Cheatle instilled no confidence that she has the ability to ensure the Secret Service can meet its protective mission,” Comer remarked, emphasizing the need for accountability in light of what he described as “egregious security failures.”
Pressure for Cheatle’s resignation had been building since details of the shooting emerged, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressing dissatisfaction with the Secret Service’s response and preparedness.
In her testimony, Cheatle took full responsibility for the incident but faced criticism for her inability to provide detailed answers on specific security measures and decisions made during the rally. She cited the ongoing FBI investigation and other inquiries as reasons for her limited disclosure.
In response to the incident, President Biden announced plans for an independent review of the rally’s security arrangements. Cheatle pledged the Secret Service’s full cooperation with the review and ongoing investigations aimed at understanding the circumstances leading up to the shooting and preventing future security breaches.
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has also launched investigations into the Secret Service’s handling of the event, focusing on security protocols and the agency’s readiness to respond to threats.
