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Secret Service Chief Steps Down Following Intense Capitol Hill Grilling

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday, mere hours after enduring intense questioning from House lawmakers regarding her agency’s failure to thwart the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged Cheatle’s departure in a formal statement.
“I am grateful to Kimberly Cheatle for her leadership as the director of the United States Secret Service and for her lifelong devotion to our country,” he wrote.
In a separate statement, President Joe Biden expressed gratitude for Cheatle’s service and announced plans to appoint a new director “soon.”
“As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden wrote.
The Homeland Security Department announced that Ronald Rowe would serve as the interim director of the Secret Service.
Cheatle faced mounting scrutiny following the assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, managed to graze Trump with a bullet from an AR-15 before being neutralized by counter-snipers. He had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby building, outside the Secret Service’s security perimeter.
During a House Oversight Committee hearing Monday, Cheatle was questioned about the security lapses at the rally. Lawmakers cited reports that rally attendees had spotted Crooks and alerted law enforcement prior to the shooting.
Cheatle accepted responsibility for the security failures, calling the incident the most significant operational failure for the Secret Service “in decades.” However, she deflected specific queries about the shooting and the ongoing investigation.
Her evasive responses drew sharp reactions from both Democrats and Republicans, with several committee members calling for her resignation. Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin, a senior Democrat, also urged her to step down, citing a loss of congressional confidence in her leadership.
News of Cheatle’s resignation surfaced Tuesday morning, as House Speaker Mike Johnson concluded his weekly press briefing. Johnson, who had been vocal about Cheatle’s resignation, commented on the timing.
“She should have done this at least a week ago,” said Johnson. “I’m happy to see she’s heeded the call of both Republicans and Democrats.”
Kentucky Representative James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, linked her resignation directly to her committee appearance.
“At yesterday’s Oversight Committee hearing, Director Cheatle instilled no confidence in her ability to ensure the Secret Service can meet its protective mission,” Comer wrote. “While Director Cheatle’s resignation is a step toward accountability, we need a full accounting of how these security failures happened to prevent them in the future.”
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Cheatle of complicity in the assassination attempt, claiming a cover-up during her testimony.
The former president reacted to Cheatle’s resignation via a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
“The Biden/Harris administration did not properly protect me, and I was forced to take a bullet for democracy,” Trump said.
House leadership announced Tuesday that an independent, bipartisan task force would be formed to investigate the assassination attempt. The Secret Service is also conducting a separate review, which Cheatle indicated could be completed in approximately 60 days.
Law enforcement officials have yet to determine a clear motive for the assassination attempt.
Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination for president last week at the Republican National Convention, just days after the shooting.