Lawmakers demand resignation of Secret Service director as anger grows

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have united in their call for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down following the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The demand for her resignation came after a tense House Oversight Committee hearing where Ms. Cheatle faced tough questions about the security lapses that allowed the incident to occur.

During the hearing, lawmakers expressed their frustration with Ms. Cheatle’s responses and the lack of transparency from the agency. Both Republican and Democratic members of the committee sent a letter to Ms. Cheatle urging her to resign, citing the need for new leadership to address the crisis and rebuild trust.

Despite acknowledging the security failures that led to the shooting, Ms. Cheatle has resisted calls to step down, insisting that she is the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time. Lawmakers, however, were not convinced, with some even using expletives and questioning her competence during the hearing.

The tense atmosphere in the hearing highlighted the bipartisan agreement that Ms. Cheatle should be held accountable for the security lapses. While there were some points of disagreement between Republicans and Democrats on the committee, the overall sentiment was that Ms. Cheatle’s handling of the situation was inadequate.

Eyewitnesses to the shooting in Butler expressed their frustration with Ms. Cheatle’s responses, with one resident calling for her to be held accountable for the lack of competency that put lives at risk. Another witness, a former US Marine, criticized Ms. Cheatle for being evasive and called for her to take responsibility and step down.

The pressure on Ms. Cheatle to resign is likely to continue as lawmakers and the public demand answers and accountability for the security failures that allowed the assassination attempt to occur.