Kansas – The director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, who had been in the role since August 2022, is stepping down following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Cheatle faced mounting pressure to resign amid investigations into how a shooter managed to get so close to the Republican presidential nominee during an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania.
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Cheatle stated in an email to staff on Tuesday. “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 response, Kansas lawmakers released the following statements on her departure.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats agree, Director Cheatle has not been transparent in the days following the assassination attempt of former President Trump and is at fault for the shortcomings of the agency she led on that day. Director Cheatle admitted to the House Oversight Committee that failing to protect a former president and current presidential candidate from an assassination attempt was a colossal failure that resulted in the death and injuries of innocent rallygoers, and I’m glad to see that she has resigned.”
Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.)
Cheatle’s resignation is only step one of cleaning house. Everyone who is involved in the oversight and massive failures that left President Trump within centimeters of losing his life and killed an American hero, Corey Comperatore, should follow suit immediately. We will not stop demanding accountability for what happened that day.”
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
