U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced a grilling from lawmakers on Capitol Hill Monday, as she testified for hours before the House Oversight Committee. The intense questioning came in the wake of a security lapse that enabled an assassination attempt on former President Trump.
Cheatle admitted under oath that the Secret Service had failed on July 13th, the day of the attempted assassination. She took full responsibility for the security lapse and vowed to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
Both Democrats and Republicans called on Cheatle to resign, with some lawmakers even threatening to introduce articles of impeachment against her. Despite the pressure, Cheatle maintained that she would not resign and is committed to getting answers for the American people.
During the hearing, Cheatle was unable to answer how many times Trump’s team had made extra security requests and was criticized for her response to the leaked opening statement. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace called Cheatle out, saying she was “full of s—” and accused her of being dishonest.
Cheatle also revealed that she had called former President Trump after the shooting to apologize and attempted to explain that the Secret Service was unaware of a suspicious threat during the rally.
The hearing was marked by tense exchanges and fiery remarks, highlighting the seriousness of the security lapse and the need for accountability within the Secret Service. The investigation into the incident continues, with Cheatle promising full cooperation with all inquiries.
Overall, Cheatle’s testimony shed light on the failures of the Secret Service on July 13th and raised important questions about the agency’s protocols and procedures moving forward. The American people will be watching closely as the investigation unfolds.
