Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle Resigns Amid Trump Rally Shooting Investigation

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned following the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally. The resignation comes amidst growing scrutiny and calls for accountability over the agency's failure to prevent the shooting.

The incident occurred on July 13th at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, where a lone gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, narrowly missing Trump. The Secret Service was immediately criticized for their apparent security lapses, with many questioning how the shooter managed to gain access to a rooftop overlooking the rally.

During a heated House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday, Cheatle admitted that the incident was the agency's "most significant operational failure" in decades. She acknowledged that there had been a "very short" period between when the shooter was reported as potentially suspicious and when he began shooting.

However, Cheatle's testimony failed to provide the answers that lawmakers were looking for, leading to widespread calls for her resignation. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin released a joint statement, stating that Cheatle "instilled no confidence" during the hearing.

"We call on you to resign as Director as a first step to allowing new leadership to swiftly address this crisis and rebuild the trust of a truly concerned Congress and the American people," the statement read.

Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, announced her resignation on Tuesday, stating that she made the "difficult" decision to step down "with a heavy heart."

"I take full responsibility for the security failures that occurred on July 13th," Cheatle said in her resignation letter. "However, I believe that my departure will allow the agency to move forward and focus on the important work of protecting our nation's leaders."

President Joe Biden released a statement thanking Cheatle for her service and stating that an independent review into the shooting would continue.

"Director Cheatle is deeply respected by the men and women of the agency and by her fellow leaders in the Department of Homeland Security," Biden said. "I am grateful for her service and her commitment to the important mission of the Secret Service."

The Secret Service has launched an internal investigation into the incident, and a bipartisan House task force, led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, has been established to conduct a separate inquiry.

As the investigation unfolds, the nation awaits answers on how such a significant security breach could have occurred and what steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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Travis

contributor

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