Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle Resigns over Trump Attack Outcry

Cheatle Resigns Amid Backlash For Trump Assassination Attempt

The head of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, has resigned because both Democrats and Republicans were upset about security mistakes that allowed the attempted attack on Donald Trump to happen on July 13.

In the past fortnight, Cheatle has been receiving a lot of negative feedback and demands for her to step down following an incident where former President Donald Trump narrowly missed being shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

On Monday, House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and ranking Democrat Jamie Raskin (Md.) took the lead in criticizing the officer. In a letter sent after the hearing, they claimed she did not effectively handle the "surprising operational mistake" and could not confirm that the Secret Service had improved from its errors.

"I am completely accountable for any security breach within our agency," she said, remaining composed as legislators accused her of avoiding questions and even joking about her.

When Cheatle resigned, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, said that it was long overdue. Johnson mentioned that now they have to start fixing things and gaining back the trust of the American people in the Secret Service. He emphasized the agency's vital role in protecting presidents, past presidents, and other executive officials, and acknowledged that there is a significant amount of work to be done.

Cheatle was expected to finish her 25-year career on a high note when she became Secret Service Director in September 2022. Throughout her career, she made history by being the first woman to lead the Atlanta office and serve as Assistant Director of the Office of Protective Operations.