U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday admitted the agency’s failure to prevent an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania.
“The solemn mission of the Secret Service is to protect our nation’s leaders,” Cheatle said during testimony before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
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“On July 13, we failed,” she said. “As director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security failures.” But she rejected a wave of calls from both parties for her resignation.
Cheatle said the attack on Donald Trump, who suffered a minor injury to his right ear while speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.”
“Clearly there was a mistake and we will do everything possible to ensure that this does not happen again,” he said.
Assassination attempt on Donald Trump
During a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, a 20-year-old gunman identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on former President Donald Trump with an AR-style assault rifle.
The incident occurred just minutes after Trump began speaking. Crooks, positioned on the roof of a nearby building, had a clear view of the stage and fired eight shots before being quickly neutralized by a Secret Service sniper within 26 seconds of the first shot.
Two protesters were seriously injured in the shooting and a 50-year-old firefighter, Corey Comperatore, of Freeport, Pennsylvania, was shot and killed.
US Secret Service chief set to testify before Congress
U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will face intense scrutiny on Monday as she prepares to testify before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee about her agency’s failure to prevent the recent assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Pressure for him to resign has been mounting from prominent Republicans including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In a separate hearing on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray is also set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.
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