United States: In response to Kimberly Cheatle’s declaration on Tuesday of her resignation from her role as the director of the Secret Service, President Donald Trump lambasted her handling of the recent assassination attempt on him. He remarked, “She never provided me with adequate protection, resulting in my taking a metaphorical bullet for democracy,” during an interview with Fox News Digital.
Trump detailed that his campaign had repeatedly requested enhanced security measures, which were either outright denied or ignored by the agency. “Numerous requests were made by on-site Secret Service for additional personnel, consistently met with refusals or no response,” Trump informed the news outlet. “My rallies boast the largest crowds in history, deserving of commensurate security.”
He further mentioned, “Significant enhancements have been observed over the past week,” as reported by Fox News Digital.
Cheatle tendered her resignation in writing to the Secret Service on Tuesday morning despite previously resisting calls to step down. In her letter, she stated, “To the Men and Women of the US Secret Service, our sacred duty is to safeguard our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure. On July 13th, we failed in that duty.”
Facing mounting pressure to resign during Monday’s House Oversight Committee hearing, Cheatle conceded that the agency’s response to the assassination attempt was a “failure,” a sentiment echoed by members across the political spectrum.
Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced a motion that evening to compel a House vote to impeach Cheatle following her initial refusal to resign on Monday, according to a recent press release.
During the hearing, in response to Mace’s inquiry about whether the agency’s response was “a colossal failure,” Cheatle affirmed, “Yes.” Mace criticized the Secret Service for its lack of transparency, noting that legislators had to subpoena Cheatle’s testimony.
Before the hearing, Mace accused the director of leaking her opening statement to various media outlets.
When questioned about how frequently the agency had denied the Trump campaign’s requests for additional security during her testimony, Cheatle remained silent.
In her opening remarks to the committee, Cheatle admitted that the Secret Service’s handling of the assassination attempt represented “the most significant operational failure of the agency in decades.” Nonetheless, she maintained that she was “the best person” to lead the organization at that time.
Following her resignation amid escalating calls for her departure, President Joe Biden issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon, acknowledging Cheatle’s decision and expressing gratitude for her service. “As a leader, it requires honor, courage, and immense integrity to assume full responsibility for an organization charged with one of the most demanding roles in public service,” the statement read. “The independent review to uncover the events of July 13th continues, and I anticipate its findings. What transpired that day must never recur.”
During her testimony before the committee on Monday, Cheatle indicated that the agency’s ongoing initial internal review would take approximately sixty days.
Do you think there should be a criminal investigation into the Secret Service Director’s failure to provide adequate security for President Trump?