In a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle took responsibility for what she called the “most significant operational failure” in decades—the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The incident occurred during an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Cheatle acknowledged that the Secret Service failed to prevent the attack, allowing the gunman to get dangerously close to the Republican presidential nominee. She revealed that local law enforcement had identified the suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, as suspicious before the shooting. Crooks had been seen with a rangefinder, a device used by hunters to measure distance from a target. However, he wasn’t officially identified as a threat until seconds before the shooting.
The agency faced scrutiny for not having agents on the roof where the shooter was located and for allowing Trump to take the stage despite the potential danger. When questioned about using drones for monitoring, Cheatle stated that the investigation was ongoing.
Calls for Cheatle’s resignation have grown, but she retains the support of President Joe Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Despite the criticism, she maintained that she was the best person to lead the Secret Service during this challenging time.
