Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns after Trump shooting incident

Following the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has tendered her resignation. Sources familiar with the matter informed CNN that Cheatle’s decision to step down comes in the wake of intense congressional investigations and internal government scrutiny over security lapses during the July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired shots at Trump.

In her resignation letter, Cheatle expressed a heavy heart over her departure, acknowledging that the Secret Service fell short of its mission to protect national leaders during the rally incident. She emphasized her concern that her continued presence could distract agents from their critical duties. Cheatle, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022, had previously defended her leadership in the face of mounting calls for her resignation from both Republican lawmakers and the public.

President Biden, in a statement released after Cheatle’s resignation, praised her decades of public service and highlighted her integrity in taking responsibility for the agency’s lapses. He also noted Cheatle’s leadership qualities despite the challenging circumstances surrounding the attempted assassination.

Following Cheatle’s resignation, Secret Service Deputy Director Ronald Rowe has been appointed as the interim head of the agency, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have characterized Cheatle’s resignation as overdue, emphasizing the need to rebuild public trust in the Secret Service’s ability to safeguard high-profile officials.

The July 13 incident, where Trump narrowly escaped harm with a bullet grazing his ear, has sparked intense scrutiny over the Secret Service’s handling of security at the rally site. Questions have been raised about the agency’s failure to secure a rooftop from which the assailant fired shots and its handling of prior intelligence warnings from local law enforcement regarding suspicious activity around the event.

Moving forward, Congress remains committed to further investigating the Secret Service’s protocols and responses on the day of the attack. The agency has pledged its full cooperation with these investigations, seeking to address discrepancies between its accounts and those of Pennsylvania law enforcement involved in rally security. Cheatle’s resignation also means that the Secret Service will now have to make more efforts in getting its reputation back.