#BREAKING: Kimberly Cheatle, the Director of the US Secret Service, has resigned following criticism of security failures during the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to @cnn.
Lawmakers and an internal government watchdog are continuing their investigations into the agency’s handling of former President Donald Trump’s protection and the near-assassination attempt on the 2024 Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania this month, which prompted Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation.
As previously reported, Donald Trump was holding a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday (July 13) when a gunman opened fire in the direction of the GOP nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
Many members, such as prominent Republican James Comer from Kentucky and Democrat Jamie Raskin from Maryland, called for Cheatles resignation, claiming that she had not been forthcoming with crucial details about the attack and the Secret Service’s unsuccessful attempts to prevent the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, from carrying out the attack. President Joe Biden issued a statement commending Cheatle for her role in protecting him and First Lady Jill Biden during his tenure as vice president in the Obama administration.
“Jill and I are grateful to Director Kim Cheatle for her decades of public service,” Biden said. “She has selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career in the United States Secret Service. We especially thank her for answering the call to lead the Secret Service during our Administration and we are grateful.”
“As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden said.
“I’m glad to see that she has resigned. She should have done it sooner. Accountability begins at the top,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., shared with reporters Tuesday. He said the congressional task force’s work is much more important now that the head of the Secret Service has resigned.