Secret service director faces calls for resignation amid security failures in Trump assassination attempt

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense scrutiny and calls for her resignation from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers during her first testimony before Congress regarding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

The highly contentious hearing was held by the House Oversight Committee on Monday, where Cheatle acknowledged the agency’s failure to protect Trump and repeatedly declined to answer specific questions about the ongoing investigation.

The hearing was convened following the July 13th incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman managed to scale a roof and open fire at a campaign rally, narrowly missing Trump. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was ultimately killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.

Cheatle opened her testimony by calling the attack “the most significant operational failure” for the Secret Service in decades.

She assured the committee that she takes full responsibility for the security lapses and pledged to prevent such incidents in the future. However, her assurances did little to quell the demands for her resignation.

Bipartisan Calls for Resignation

House Oversight Committee members from both parties expressed frustration and anger over the security breaches. Ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) joined Republicans in demanding Cheatle’s resignation, stating, “This relationship is irretrievable at this point. The director has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country.”

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the preventable nature of the tragedy and criticizing the management of the Secret Service. “It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Comer said.

In a rare moment of unity, Comer and Raskin issued a joint letter calling on Cheatle to step down.

Throughout the four-hour hearing, Cheatle was repeatedly pressed on why Trump was allowed to take the stage despite law enforcement deeming Crooks suspicious. She defended the number of agents assigned to the event but frequently cited the FBI’s ongoing investigation to avoid discussing specifics.

Cheatle acknowledged that the Secret Service had been alerted about a suspicious person multiple times before the rally and that the roof from which Crooks opened fire had been identified as a potential vulnerability days prior. She also revealed that local law enforcement had taken a photo of Crooks with a rangefinder, but he was not deemed an “actual threat” until seconds before he opened fire.

Lawmakers Press for Answers

Lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration over Cheatle’s lack of detailed responses. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) emphasized the need for immediate answers, stating, “It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president of the United States. Regardless of party, there need to be answers.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) sharply criticized Cheatle for the agency’s failure to comply with demands for documents and other information from the committee. “On July 15, this committee sent you a list of demands of information that we wanted,” Mace said. “Has the Secret Service provided this committee a complete list of all law enforcement personnel that were there that day? Have you done that? Have you provided a list to the Oversight Committee?”

Cheatle responded, “I’d have to get back to you on that.”

Mace, visibly frustrated, continued, “That is a no. Have you provided all audio and video recordings in your possession to this committee, as we asked on July 15?”

Cheatle repeated, “I’d have to get back to you on that.”

“That is a no. You’re full of shit today. You’re just being completely dishonest,” Mace said, her voice rising, prompting another lawmaker to urge Mace to “preserve decorum.”

Mace continued, “You are being dishonest or lying. You’re being dishonest here with this committee, these are important questions that the American people want answers to, and you’re just dodging and talking about it in generalities. We had to subpoena you to be here, and you won’t even answer the questions. We’ve asked you repeatedly to answer our questions. This isn’t hard.”

Security Adjustments and Future Steps

Cheatle detailed the immediate adjustments made by the Secret Service in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, including enhanced security measures at the Republican National Convention and for protectees in Washington, D.C. She also mentioned that the agency is prepared for any new demands following President Biden’s recent announcement to end his reelection campaign.

Investigations and Accountability

The director assured the committee that internal and external investigations are underway. She expects the Secret Service’s internal investigation to conclude within 60 days, a timeline criticized by Ocasio-Cortez as “unacceptable.”

Ongoing Inquiries

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has appointed a bipartisan, independent panel to review the assassination attempt, while the department’s inspector general has opened three investigations. A bipartisan delegation from the House Committee on Homeland Security toured the shooting site, marking the first group outside law enforcement to examine the roof where the shooter positioned himself.

Authorities are still investigating Crooks’ motives but have found no ideological bent. Investigators discovered photos of Trump, Biden, and other officials on Crooks’ phone, as well as searches for major depressive disorder and information about political events.

Cheatle’s Tenure and Background

Cheatle took over the Secret Service two years ago, succeeding James M. Murray amid investigations into missing text messages from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Announcing her appointment, President Biden praised her as a “distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills” who had his “complete trust.”

Despite her assurances and long tenure, the committee’s frustration with Cheatle’s answers was palpable. Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) bluntly told her, “Director Cheatle, because Donald Trump is alive, and thank God he is, you look incompetent. If he were killed, you would look culpable.”