Secret Service Director Resigns Amid Calls for Her Resignation Following Trump Assassination Attempt.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In what might be described as the surprise of the day, U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday amidst mounting pressure from lawmakers and the public for her resignation in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13. The news first broke from NBC News, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
Two law enforcement officials said an official announcement from Cheatle of his resignation would be coming later this morning. This marks something of a real turning point for the beleaguered Secret Service, which has been rocked by controversy since the breach in security at Trump’s private residence.
It was an incident involving an armed person who penetrated the periphery of the former president’s home. Though Trump himself wasn’t hurt, it surely raises many questions about the effectiveness of the protective measures of the Secret Service in view of the security breach.
Members from both parties in Congress are raising concerns and seeking accountability. According to Senator Mark Warner, the Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, this calls for an immediate review of protocols within the Secret Service. “This incident serves as a sharp reminder that we must continually look at and look to improve our security measures,” Warner said in a statement. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a Republican, called for an investigation into the failure. “The American people deserve to know their leadership is safe and that security lapses will not be accepted,” Jordan stated.
For months, Kimberly Cheatle has faced growing criticism over the handling of this incident and other security challenges.
She was appointed director of the Secret Service in April 2023, the incident drew additional scrutiny to her leadership of this agency inside the Department of Homeland Security, which is in charge of protecting former and current presidents and their families.
The resignation comes at a time when the Secret Service already faces fallout from other security lapses recently exposed.
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.
