1 month ago
15
US
Secret Service Director
Kimberly Cheatle has tendered her resignation coming under fire over the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, CNN reported. The move came a day after lawmakers grilled her over the agency's handling of Trump's protection at the Pennsylvania rally where a shooter fired at Trump.
There have been bipartisan calls in Congress for her resignation and a push by Republican lawmakers to impeach her.
Lawmakers were particularly incensed after her appearance for public testimony in front of the House Oversight Committee Monday, where she was unwilling to answer many of the committee’s questions.
Kimberley initially put her feet down and reiterated that she would not resign but the Monday hearing was the last nail as she admitted that
Secret Service
failed. She took full responsibility for the security lapses and called the assassination attempt as the Service's most significant operational failure.
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in the email to staff Tuesday. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security for the former president in the days before the July 13 rally.
Kimberly Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, had been facing growing calls to resign that she has been resisting.
The bullet narrowly missed Trump's head and raised questions over the lapses of the Secret Service. Kimberly even blamed the "sloped roof" from where Thomas Crooks opened fire at Trump -- for not securing the spot.
"You are full of sh**"
Rep. Nancy Mace called Kimberly 'sh**' during the hearing and demanded her resignation. “Would you like to use my five minutes to draft your resignation letter? Yes, or no?” Mace charged at Kimberly. "You are full of sh** today," she said.
Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed the Secret Service chief and said it's not acceptable that the report on the assassination bid would come in 60 days. “The notion of a report coming out in 60 days when the threat environment is so high in the United States, irrespective of party, is not acceptable,” AOC said.
“I think it’s very important to understand that this is not about theater, this is not about jockeying – this is about the safety of some of the most highly targeted and valued targets internationally and domestically in the United States of America.
“So the idea that a report will be finalized in 60 days, let alone prior to any actionable decisions that would be made, is simply not acceptable. It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president regardless of party. There need to be answers," AOC said.
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