The United States Secret Service head has announced her resignation over the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. This is coming days after feeling intense pressure and criticism for failing to prevent the shooting.
Since the assassination attempt, Cheatle has been under pressure from US lawmakers to step down as questions continue to pop up over the security protocols and details at the rally in Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump, the former president and Republican presidential nominee was shot in the ear.
According to the Associated Press, Kimberly Cheatle had sent an email to the staff on Tuesday announcing her intentions to step down.
On Monday, the Secret Service chief was intensely grilled over the agency’s security plan at the Trump rally. This had happened during a US congressional committee hearing.
After Trump was shot in the ear by a gunman that witnesses say had taken up a position on a rooftop with a direct line of sight of the rally stage, US President, Joe Biden called for an independent review of the rally’s security protocols where one attendee was killed and two others got seriously injured.
What They’re Saying
Kimberly Cheatle’s mail read;
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Cheatle said in the email to staff. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
In a statement to the lawmakers, Cheatle had said;
“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades. There clearly was a mistake and we will make every effort to make sure that this never happens again.”
Why It Matters
As Cheatle steps down, there is a growing need for the Secret Service to rebuild the public’s trust.
The United States Secret Service is above all, tasked with safeguarding the President, their Vice President and their families. Their duty is to ensure safety during critical locations and key events.
Donald Trump’s shooter being able to graze the aspiring president’s ear is a failure on the part of the Secret Service and Cheatle’s resignation is an acknowledgement of that fact.
What happens next will be the appointment of a new head but that is still to come.
More details to come…
