Kimberly Cheatle has resigned as the head of the United States Secret Service following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Cheatle’s decision comes amid intense pressure and scrutiny from lawmakers and the public for failing to prevent the shooting incident.
Cheatle announced her resignation in an email to staff on Tuesday, as reported by The Associated Press. She had been facing criticism from US lawmakers over security lapses at Trump’s rally on July 13 in Pennsylvania, where the former president and Republican presidential nominee was shot in the ear.
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Cheatle stated in her email. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
President Joe Biden expressed gratitude for Cheatle’s decades of public service and indicated that he would appoint her successor soon. “The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” Biden said in a statement.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas later announced that Ronald L. Rowe, the Secret Service’s deputy director, would serve as acting director following Cheatle’s resignation.
During a congressional hearing on Monday, Cheatle faced tough questions regarding the agency’s security measures at Trump’s rally. Witnesses reported that the gunman had positioned himself on a rooftop with a clear view of the stage, leading to criticism of the Secret Service’s preparations.
“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” Cheatle admitted to lawmakers during the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing. “There clearly was a mistake, and we will make every effort to ensure this never happens again.”
President Biden has ordered an independent review of the security protocols at the rally, which resulted in one attendee’s death and two others being seriously injured. However, lawmakers demanded immediate answers from Cheatle and other law enforcement leaders, including Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson described Cheatle’s resignation as “overdue.” He emphasized the need to restore public trust in the Secret Service, saying, “We have to rebuild the American people’s trust in the Secret Service as an agency. It has an incredibly important responsibility in protecting presidents, former presidents, and other officials in the executive branch. And we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Whyquickly’s Liban Hussein noted that Cheatle’s resignation comes at a critical time, just months before the US election in November. Trump is now expected to face off against the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, following Biden’s withdrawal from the race on Sunday.
“The director of the Secret Service is an incredibly important function,” Hanna said. “It’s now up to the president to appoint a new director. Obviously [it will be] a very critical appointment at a time when the country is going into a national election, at a time when there is immense political divide.”
Cheatle’s resignation marks a significant moment for the Secret Service, an agency that must now address its security protocols and rebuild trust. The assassination attempt on Trump has highlighted vulnerabilities within the agency, and Cheatle’s departure underscores the need for a thorough review and improvement of security measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
As the nation approaches a crucial election period, the appointment of a new Secret Service director will be vital in ensuring the safety of political figures and restoring confidence in the agency’s capabilities.
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