Kim Cheatle, the director of the US Secret Service, has resigned following a controversial House Oversight Committee hearing about a security lapse during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
In a letter to agency staff, Ms Cheatle took full responsibility for the security failure and acknowledged the intense scrutiny the agency has faced in recent days. She wrote that she did not want her resignation to be a distraction from the agency’s vital mission.
The hearing on Monday became increasingly tense as Ms Cheatle refused to answer questions about the shooting at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. Lawmakers from both parties have called for her resignation, citing her leadership failures.
President Joe Biden thanked Ms Cheatle for her decades of public service and announced that he will appoint a new director soon. In the interim, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has appointed Ronald Rowe, a 24-year Secret Service veteran, as acting director.
Ms Cheatle had faced criticism for her leadership after the shooting, which left one person dead and two others wounded. She called the incident “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades.”
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and an independent review is underway to determine how the security breach occurred.
The controversy has led to calls for greater accountability and reform within the Secret Service. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called Ms Cheatle’s resignation “overdue” and said he was “glad she did the right thing.”
The shooting has also raised questions about the security protocols in place for public events, particularly those involving high-profile individuals like former presidents.
Ms Cheatle’s resignation comes after a long career with the Secret Service, including stints as an agent and supervisor of then-Vice President Dick Cheney’s protective detail during the 9/11 attacks.
As news of her resignation spread, social media was filled with reactions from both sides of the political aisle. Trump himself tweeted that he was “glad she did the right thing,” while others expressed relief that she had finally taken responsibility for her actions.
The Secret Service has faced several high-profile controversies in recent years, including security lapses during Trump’s presidency. This latest incident has raised concerns about the agency’s ability to protect its protectees and maintain public trust.
