Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position on Tuesday, following intense scrutiny during a congressional hearing the day prior. The resignation comes as Congress seeks answers regarding the security lapse that nearly resulted in the assassination of former President Donald Trump at a July 13th rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In an email to staff, Cheatle took full responsibility for the failure and expressed her decision to step down with a heavy heart. The congressional hearing revealed that the incident was considered the “most significant operational failure” in the agency’s history in decades. Despite the severity of the situation, Cheatle refused to consider resigning during the hearing, even going so far as to say she believed she was the “best person” for the lead job at that time.
During the House Oversight Committee hearing, many questions were left unanswered by Cheatle. She could not explain why the Secret Service did not question 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks after he was flagged as a suspicious person and the Secret Service was alerted. Additionally, she was unable to say why agents were not placed on the roof where Crooks fired at Trump or how many agents were present at the rally. Furthermore, Cheatle could not confirm whether the gunman acted alone.
By the end of the three-hour hearing, both the committee’s chairman and top Democrat, as well as a number of its members, called for her resignation following the hearing. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) stated in a press release that “Director Cheatle instilled no confidence that she has the ability to ensure the Secret Service can meet its protective mission,” and emphasized the need for a full review of how these security failures occurred to prevent them from happening again.
In response, President Joe Biden praised Cheatle for her decades of public service and dedication to protecting the nation. He expressed gratitude for her leadership during his administration and wished her well in future endeavors. The president also emphasized the importance of an independent review to determine what went wrong on July 13th and prevent such incidents from occurring again.
Former President Trump posted a statement on Truth Social, asserting that he took a bullet for democracy during the assassination attempt and expressing gratitude for being given the opportunity to serve his country in this manner. As the investigation into the incident continues, it is clear that there will be significant pressure on the Secret Service to implement changes and ensure such failures never happen again.