Embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle acknowledged a significant failure in the agency’s mission to protect national leaders during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13. Speaking before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday, Cheatle admitted, “We failed” in their duty to secure the venue at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler Township, Pennsylvania.
The hearing comes amid intense scrutiny and criticism over the Secret Service’s inability to prevent 20-year-old gunman Thomas Crooks from accessing a rooftop overlooking the rally site. Crooks used this vantage point as a sniper position, injuring Trump, killing attendee Corey Comperatore, and wounding two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaven.
Cheatle, who testified under subpoena, expressed her deep regret over the incident and vowed to prevent such security lapses in the future. “We must learn what happened, and I will move heaven and earth to ensure an incident like July 13th does not happen again,” she stated. She also extended her condolences to the victims and their families, highlighting the severity of the agency’s operational failure.
Despite calls for her resignation, Cheatle has remained in her position, taking full responsibility for the security breaches. “As the Director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse,” she affirmed.
The Secret Service is currently cooperating with multiple investigations, including those by the FBI, the House Oversight Committee, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General. Cheatle emphasized the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability, mentioning an ongoing internal review directed by her.
The congressional hearing marks a critical juncture for the Secret Service as it seeks to restore public confidence and ensure the safety of the nation’s leaders amid growing political tensions and threats.
