The Director of the US Secret Service has said that she will not be resigning, despite her organisation failing to prevent the shooting of former President Donald Trump.
Kimberly Cheatle, who was appointed to the role in September 2022 by US President Joe Biden, told ABC News that she was shocked by the weekend’s events.
On Saturday, 20-year-old would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to climb up a ladder onto a nearby roof during a Trump campaign event in Pennsylvania, and shoot the former President through the ear with a rifle, in what could easily have been a fatal shot had the bullet’s trajectory been just a few inches over. After a flurry of shots, one Trump supporter in the crowd was killed, and two others were critically injured, before the gunman himself was shot dead by a law enforcement sniper and Trump was rushed from the scene by his security team.
During an ABC interview this week, Director Cheatle said that “this is an event that should never have happened,” adding that “the Secret Service is responsible for protection of the former president.”
“The buck stops with me, I am the director of the Secret Service,” she said, saying that she would be transparent going forward.
“It was unacceptable and it shouldn’t happen again.”
However, when asked if she was planning to stay on in her job amid calls for her resignation from some members of the US Congress, she said: “I do plan to stay on.”
U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle says that she will not resign after Secret Service failed to stop an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/yIaDD38cum
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 16, 2024
Cheatle will be testifying about the assassination attempt next week before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, with the Committee’s Republican Chairman James Comer accusing her agency of “failing” to protect Trump.
“The Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others,” he said in a social media post.
“On Monday, July 22, the GOP Oversight Committee will get answers in a public hearing with Director Cheatle.”
🚨 The Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) July 15, 2024
On Monday, July 22, @GOPoversight will get answers in a public hearing with Director Cheatle.👇 https://t.co/YjFtYzqPSp
Controversially, there have been claims that the shooter was spotted by ordinary rally attendees several minutes before the shooting actually took place, and that despite some individuals sounding the alarm, authorities were allegedly slow or unwilling to act immediately.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was spotted on roof by law enforcement nearly 30 minutes before attempted Trump assassination: report https://t.co/OdaXR8gsuV pic.twitter.com/SLtvG0rlSB
— New York Post (@nypost) July 15, 2024
The primary job of the Secret Service is the protection of the US President, the Vice President, former Presidents, major Presidential and Vice presidential candidates coming up to elections, and all of the above’s families. They also protect visiting heads of state or members of foreign governments visiting the US, and more.