In a move that comes in the wake of a failed attempt to protect former President Donald Trump, Kimberly Cheatle has resigned from her position as the Director of the U.S. Secret Service.
Cheatle’s resignation, announced on Tuesday, follows her acknowledgment that the agency had failed in its mission to prevent the attack, which occurred during a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th.
The attack, carried out by a 20-year-old gunman, left Trump with a gunshot wound to his right ear. Two rally attendees were also seriously injured, and a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was killed in the incident.
Cheatle’s resignation comes after she faced bipartisan calls to step down, with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the move as “overdue” and stating that Cheatle should have resigned “at least a week ago.”
In a statement, President Joe Biden thanked Cheatle for her nearly three decades of service with the Secret Service, acknowledging her “selfless dedication and risk” in protecting the nation. The President also vowed to “appoint a new director soon” as the agency works to rebuild trust and ensure that a similar incident does not occur again.
During a congressional oversight committee hearing on Monday, Cheatle had taken responsibility for the agency’s failure, describing the attack as “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.”
However, her refusal to provide specific details about the incident, citing ongoing investigations, drew the ire of lawmakers from both parties, who called for her resignation.
The gunman, who lived in a town about 50 miles from the rally site, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper less than 30 seconds after opening fire with an AR-style assault rifle. Investigators have concluded that the young man acted alone, and have not identified any strong ideological or political leanings.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the attack, Cheatle’s departure marks a significant shift in the leadership of the Secret Service, and sets the stage for a renewed effort to ensure the safety and security of the country’s political leaders.
