US Secret Service chief resigns after Trump assassination attempt

The News

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is resigning.

Cheatle stepped down a day after a tense Congressional session in which lawmakers grilled her and called on her to resign over the agency’s failures to prevent an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his July 13 campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.

Speaking to lawmakers Monday, Cheatle admitted that the shooting was a “failure.” She testified that agents had flagged the gunman as “suspicious” at least 20 minutes before he started shooting, but did not identify him as an active threat.

She also said that while the agency had provided extra security that Trump had requested for the rally, the agency had denied other similar requests and had relied on local law enforcement in some cases.

President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday that Cheatle “selflessly dedicated” herself to the country and agency, but added he looked forward to assessing the agency’s independent review of the shooting. He added he would appoint a new director “soon.”

Also on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they were launching a separate bipartisan task force to investigate the assassination attempt.