The US Secret Service Director, Kimberly Cheatle, is set to face intense scrutiny from lawmakers on Monday regarding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The congressional hearing aims to investigate the security lapses that allowed the shooter to breach security and injure Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
The hearing, held by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer, is expected to be a rigorous session with Cheatle answering “hundreds of questions.” Comer emphasized the need to restore public confidence in the Secret Service, criticizing the agency’s performance in this incident.
The July 13th incident involved 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who climbed onto a roof overlooking the rally stage and fired an AR-556 style rifle, wounding Trump, killing an attendee, and injuring two others. A Secret Service sharpshooter subsequently neutralized Crooks.
Key questions for the congressional inquiry include how Crooks accessed the rooftop, why the rally continued despite prior identification of the shooter as suspicious, and the adequacy and timeliness of the Secret Service’s response and protection measures.
Cheatle has pledged full cooperation with all investigations and expressed her commitment to strengthening the agency. She acknowledged the gravity of the situation and the importance of internal reviews and reforms.
This hearing is part of broader concerns over the Secret Service’s ability to safeguard political figures amidst increasing threats as election campaigns intensify. The House Oversight Committee has been particularly aggressive in its investigations since Republicans gained control in 2023, though there is bipartisan agreement on the importance of addressing the Secret Service’s failures.
Lawmakers across the political spectrum, including committee members like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan, will question Cheatle about the security breaches. The incident is the most severe attempt on a US president or major party candidate since President Ronald Reagan was wounded in 1981.
Despite calls for her resignation from House Speaker Mike Johnson and other lawmakers, Cheatle has resisted stepping down. Johnson announced plans for a bipartisan task force with subpoena power to investigate the Secret Service’s lapses. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has launched internal investigations, and President Joe Biden has ordered an independent review by external experts.
As Congress seeks accountability, there are concerns about potential partisan conflicts. Former Homeland Security official Paul Rosenzweig expressed skepticism about the prospects for a non-politicized investigation, given recent congressional dynamics.
The outcome of these investigations and the steps taken to address the Secret Service’s shortcomings will be closely watched as the nation approaches the November elections.
