Kim Cheatle, Secret Service Director, resigns after security failures in Trump assassination attempt. Here’s why.

Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle tendered her resignation on Tuesday, following a fiery hearing on Capitol Hill regarding the lapses in security that allowed for the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa. Her decision to step down came after more than 29 years of service in the Secret Service, with her most recent role being the Director since 2022. Secret Service Deputy Director Ronald Rowe was appointed as the acting director until a permanent replacement is chosen.

During her testimony before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Cheatle admitted fault, stating, “We failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse.” However, she refrained from delving into specifics of the security failures, citing an ongoing investigation and stating, “There was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities.”

Lawmakers, including House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer and ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, voiced frustration over the lack of concrete answers provided by Cheatle regarding the shooting incident on July 13. The shooting resulted in injuries to Trump, two spectators, and the tragic death of former fire chief Corey Comperatore. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was promptly neutralized by a Secret Service countersniper.

Cheatle admitted that the Secret Service had been alerted multiple times by local law enforcement about a “suspicious person” before the shooting, yet did not consider the individual a threat until moments before the gunfire erupted.

In response to Cheatle’s resignation, President Joe Biden expressed gratitude for her years of service and announced plans to appoint a new Director soon. Biden emphasized the importance of preventing similar incidents in the future, stating, “We all know what happened that day can never happen again.”