The recent shooting incident at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania has sparked a heated debate over who is responsible for keeping the former president and his followers safe during events like these. Kim Cheatle, head of the Secret Service, has confirmed that her agency was “totally responsible” for security at the event, which saw a gunman fire at Trump from approximately 150 yards away, injuring him and several rally attendees, one of whom tragically lost their life.
In an interview with CNN, Cheatle admitted that while areas of responsibility were divided up at the site, the Secret Service was solely accountable for designing, implementing, and executing the security plan for the event. This admission comes amidst ongoing discussions about whether local law enforcement or the Secret Service should bear the responsibility for what transpired during the rally.
During an exclusive interview with ABC News, Cheatle described the shooting as “unacceptable” and emphasized that it shouldn’t happen again. The incident marks the first time since 1981 that a former president has been wounded in an attempted assassination – the last time being Ronald Reagan.
Cheatle acknowledged that the situation was one no Secret Service agent wants to experience during their career, implying that her primary concern is how the incident reflects poorly on her tenure rather than its occurrence itself. The buck stops here,” she said, using language associated with taking responsibility just days before this month’s Buck Moon on July 21.
Responding to claims that her agents and local law enforcement officers failed to act on Thomas Matthew Crooks’ suspicious behavior a half-hour before he opened fire, Cheatle explained that the brief time frame made it “difficult” for them to adequately respond in time. She also clarified that while the Secret Service was responsible for securing the inner perimeter of the event site, local police were tasked with handling the outer perimeter.
Despite calls for her resignation, Cheatle has no plans to step down from her role and will continue to lead the Secret Service as it conducts a review and provides resources to its personnel as necessary. She is scheduled to testify before the GOP-led House Oversight Committee on July 22.
In a statement aimed at quelling concerns about political motivations within the agency, Cheatle insisted that “Secret Service is not political. Security is not political. People’s safety is not political. And that’s what we’re focused on as an agency.
As election day approaches and Trump’s ear continues to heal from the injuries sustained during the shooting, readers can stay up-to-date with the latest developments in his presidential campaign by visiting Trump.news.