US SECRET SERVICE CHIEF RESIGNS AMIDST SCRUTINY OVER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Tue 23 July 2024:

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday following intense criticism of the agency’s failure to prevent an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally, as reported by various media outlets. The Secret Service has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Security Lapse at Campaign Rally

The Secret Service, responsible for protecting current and former U.S. presidents, is facing a crisis after a gunman shot Trump from a rooftop overlooking the outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. Cheatle received bipartisan condemnation during a House Oversight Committee hearing, where she declined to answer questions about the rally’s security plan and the agency’s response to the gunman’s suspicious behavior.

Calls for Resignation and Investigations

Several lawmakers from both parties demanded Cheatle’s resignation. Trump was grazed in the right ear, and a rally attendee was killed. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper. Cheatle, who led the agency since 2022, admitted responsibility for the incident, labeling it the Secret Service’s most significant failure since the 1981 shooting of President Ronald Reagan.

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Ongoing Probes and Criticism

The Secret Service now faces investigations by multiple congressional committees and the Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog. President Joe Biden, who has ended his reelection campaign, has called for an independent review. Criticism has particularly focused on the decision to exclude the rooftop from the security perimeter, a move condemned by former agents and lawmakers.

Past Scandals and Leadership

Cheatle was appointed Secret Service director by Biden in 2022, having previously held a top security role at PepsiCo and serving 27 years in the agency. Her tenure followed a series of scandals that tarnished the agency’s reputation, including the 2012 Colombia scandal involving agents and prostitutes and allegations of erased text messages from the January 6 Capitol attack, which were sought by a congressional panel.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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