The head of the United States Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, is stepping down following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Cheatle announced her resignation in an email to staff on Tuesday, citing a failure to prevent the shooting at Trump’s rally on July 13 in Pennsylvania.
Cheatle has been under pressure from US lawmakers and faced criticism for the security lapse at the rally, where Trump was shot in the ear. In her email, she took full responsibility for the incident and expressed her regret.
During a congressional hearing on Monday, Cheatle admitted the assassination attempt was the most significant operational failure for the Secret Service in decades. She assured lawmakers that measures would be taken to prevent such an incident from happening again.
The shooting occurred when a gunman, positioned on a rooftop, shot Trump. This raised concerns about the security measures in place at the event. President Joe Biden has ordered an independent review of the security protocols at the rally, where one person was killed, and two others were seriously injured.
Lawmakers, including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, had been demanding immediate answers and called for Cheatle’s resignation, which Johnson deemed “overdue.” He emphasized the need to rebuild trust in the Secret Service.
In a statement, Biden thanked Cheatle for her service and said he would appoint her replacement soon. He stressed the importance of the independent review and the need to ensure such an event never happens again.
Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna noted that Cheatle’s resignation comes at a crucial time, just months before the US election in November. Trump is now expected to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, after Biden withdrew from the race.
Hanna highlighted the importance of the Secret Service director’s role, especially during an election period marked by significant political divide.
