Kimberly Cheatle, Director of the US Secret Service, resigned on July 23, 2024, following intense criticism over the agency’s failure to prevent the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The incident occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, where a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, injuring Trump in the ear and killing a former firefighter.Cheatle’s resignation came just a day after a contentious congressional hearing where she faced severe criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. During the hearing, Cheatle took full responsibility for what she termed the agency’s ‘most significant operational failure’ in decades. In her resignation email to staff, Cheatle stated, ‘I accept full responsibility for the security failure,’ and added that it was ‘with great sadness’ that she made the difficult decision to step down.The assassination attempt has sparked multiple investigations, including probes by congressional committees and the internal watchdog of the US Department of Homeland Security. These investigations aim to determine how the shooter was able to get so close to Trump despite security measures. New details have emerged, suggesting that the gunman had visited the rally site twice before the event and may have flown a drone over the area on the day of the shooting.President Joe Biden, who appointed Cheatle to her position in 2022, praised her for her decades of service while emphasizing the need for an independent investigation into the incident. The White House has announced that a new director of the Secret Service will be appointed soon.The incident and its aftermath have intensified scrutiny of the Secret Service, particularly with upcoming significant political events. Lawmakers from both parties have vowed to continue their probes, ensuring that the agency will remain in the spotlight in the coming months.
Key points
- US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned following criticism over the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
- Cheatle took full responsibility for the security failure during a congressional hearing, calling it the ‘most significant operational failure’ in decades.
- Multiple investigations have been launched to determine how the shooter was able to get close to Trump despite security measures.
- The incident has intensified scrutiny of the Secret Service, with lawmakers vowing to continue their probes.
