The White House announced on Tuesday, July 23, that US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned following criticism over the agency's failure to prevent an attack on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
During a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, a gunman managed to fire shots at Trump from a rooftop, wounding him and killing a rally attendee. The shooter, Thomas Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Cheatle faced bipartisan criticism during a House Oversight Committee hearing.
Lawmakers were frustrated with her lack of answers regarding the security failures. Some members of Congress, from both parties, had called for her resignation.
Cheatle, who took responsibility for the incident, described it as the worst failure for the Secret Service since the 1981 shooting of President Ronald Reagan.
Her resignation comes amid multiple investigations by congressional committees and the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog.
Criticism focused on the failure to secure the rooftop from which the gunman attacked, as it was outside the designated security perimeter. This decision has been condemned by former agents and lawmakers alike.
Cheatle had been with the Secret Service for 27 years before becoming director in 2022, following a top security role at PepsiCo. Her tenure was marked by efforts to address past scandals that tarnished the agency's reputation.
The Secret Service has been under scrutiny for incidents such as the 2012 scandal involving agents and prostitutes in Colombia and allegations of deleted text messages from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
