5 Key Moments from Secret Service Director’s Lengthy Questioning Following Trump Assassination Attempt

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced a grilling from lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the agency’s security lapse that enabled the assassination attempt on former President Trump.

Cheatle testified before the House Oversight Committee after a would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks, attempted to take the life of Trump at his rally in Butler, Pa. Trump narrowly avoided the bullet shot by Crooks and the bullet instead hit him in his upper right ear. Sadly, the bullet struck and killed firefighter, father, and husband Corey Comperatore as he shielded his family from harm, while two others were severely injured.

Cheatle admitted under oath that the Secret Service failed on July 13th, describing the incident as a “colossal failure.” She took full responsibility for the security lapse and asserted her commitment to preventing such an incident from happening again.

During the hearing, Cheatle faced calls for resignation from both Democrats and Republicans. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Rep. Ro Khanna demanded her resignation, while Cheatle reiterated her dedication to finding answers for the American people and refused to step down.

Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Greg Steube and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, voiced their intention to introduce articles of impeachment against Cheatle in light of her handling of the security failure and her conduct during the hearing. Cheatle’s responses to questions were met with skepticism and criticism, particularly from Rep. Nancy Mace, who accused her of dishonesty.

Cheatle was unable to provide a straight answer when questioned about the number of times Trump’s team made extra security requests and claimed there were no denials. She also disclosed that she called Trump after the shooting to apologize and assured that all security measures were taken seriously.

The hearing shed light on the need for accountability and transparency within the Secret Service. Cheatle’s testimony and the reactions from lawmakers underscored the severity of the security breach and the imperative for thorough investigations to prevent similar incidents in the future.