- Bipartisan calls for secret service boss resignation after assassination attempt
- The demand emerged during and after a heated House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday
- The hearing discussed the agency’s security preparations for a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13
- The shooting at the rally resulted in one death and three injuries, including that of the former president
- Despite the intense scrutiny, Kimberly Cheatle resisted calls to resign
Bipartisan calls for secret service boss resignation after assassination attempt
In the wake of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign. This demand emerged during and after a heated House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday, scrutinising the agency’s security preparations for a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
The shooting at the rally resulted in one death and three injuries, including that of the former president. The hearing was a rare moment of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers from both parties criticised Cheatle’s handling of the incident and the lack of public information provided by the agency.
During the nearly six-hour hearing, members questioned how suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks accessed a nearby rooftop and why Trump took the stage despite reports of a suspicious person. Following the session, Committee leaders James Comer (R) and Jamie Raskin (D) sent a letter urging Cheatle to step down.
Cheatle acknowledged the Butler incident as “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades” and took responsibility for the security lapses but resisted calls for her resignation, saying she is “the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time.”
Her responses, limited by the ongoing investigation, frustrated many lawmakers. The tense atmosphere of the hearing often devolved into anger, with expletives, shouting, and accusations questioning Cheatle’s honesty and competence. Lawmakers’ visible frustration included groans, eye rolls, and muttered comments in response to Cheatle’s statements.
Despite the intense scrutiny, Cheatle indicated that a preliminary report on the shooting would be available within 60 days, a timeline met with scepticism by committee members.