Secret Service chief resigns after pressure over Trump assassination security failures

WASHINGTON

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday, following pressure from lawmakers for security failures during an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Citing sources, CNN initially said Cheatle tendered her resignation amid scrutiny of security lapses related to the July 13 assassination attempt.

"In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director," Cheatle said in her resignation letter that indicated "scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases."

She took "full responsibility for the security lapse."

Cheatle had led the agency since September 2022.

She was grilled by lawmakers in the House of Representatives on the timeline of the shooting during a hearing Monday, and faced demands from several members to step down. Her responses to the questions fell short of satisfying lawmakers.

Cheatle called the assassination attempt "the most significant operational failure" of the Secret Service.

She said the agency's mission is to protect US leaders and added: "On the 13th, we failed. As a director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency."

Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, and ranking member Jamie Raskin, demanded Cheatle resign Monday in a bipartisan statement.

US President Joe Biden said Cheatle "selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career in the United States Secret Service."

"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," he said in a statement.

He noted that an independent review to get to the bottom of what happened July 13 continues, saying: "I look forward to assessing its conclusions."

"We all know what happened that day can never happen again. As we move forward, I wish Kim all the best, and I will plan to appoint a new Director soon," he added.

- 'You should have been fired'

Rep. Tim Burchett asked several questions at the hearing and later called the Secret Service chief a "DEI horror story,” in reference to a diversity, equity and inclusion framework to promote groups that have been historically excluded in the workplace based on identity or disability.

"You said that ‘the buck stops with me,’ and I agree. I don’t think you should resign. I think you should have been fired," Burchett told Cheatle. "Ma’am, you have not achieved today. You have let the American public down.”

Rep. Nancy Mace was among the lawmakers who grilled Cheatle, asking her to answer a series of “yes” or “no” questions about the agency’s response to the assassination attempt.

"Both sides of the aisle today have asked for your resignation. Would you like to use my five minutes to draft your resignation letter? Yes or no?" Mace asked.

"No. Thank you," Cheatle responded.

The Republican representative later asked: "Have you provided all audio and video recordings in your possession to this committee, as we asked on July 15? Yes or no?"

"I would have to get back to you," Cheatle said.

"That is a no. You're full of sh*t today. You're just being completely dishonest," said Mace. "You are being dishonest or lying. You're being dishonest here with this committee. These are important questions that the American people want answers to.”

"And you're just, you're just dodging and talking around it in generalities. And we had to subpoena you to be here. And you won't even answer the questions. We have asked you repeatedly to answer our questions. This isn't hard. These are not hard questions," Mace said.

Rep. Glenn Grothman asked Cheatle whether the roof where the shooter was killed had been cleaned.

"I don’t have an answer for that,” she replied.