Lara Trump, the head of the Republican National Committee, insisted this week that the U.S. Secret Service can adequately protect her father-in-law, former President Trump, and said the agency’s director should be the one held accountable.
Despite a series of agency failures that nearly led to Trump’s assassination at a July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, Lara Trump was unequivocal when asked if she was confident the agency could still protect him.
“Yes, of course,” she said.
“I think the men and women of the United States Secret Service are some of the best people I have ever met. Eric (Trump) and I worked in the Secret Service for four years. The people around us were wonderful. The work they did was totally professional,” he continued.
But Lara Trump had harsh words for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, saying she agreed with the agency chief’s own assessment that the responsibility fell on her.
“Obviously there were some errors and some lapses, and ultimately I think it’s up to the director of the Secret Service to answer those questions.”
Cheatle has faced growing calls to resign following the assassination attempt, although Lara Trump herself has cast doubt on whether Cheatle should step down.
Critics have pointed to the large number of smaller female officers tasked with physically protecting the 6-foot-3-inch, much larger former president. Videos of at least one officer struggling to holster her weapon also failed to inspire confidence, they said.
Here’s the latest on the assassination attempt on Donald Trump:
Cheatle has been a champion of diversity and pledged that the department would be 30 percent female by 2030.
