The Secret Service woman resigns after the shots at Trump

Published 24 July 2024 at 09.04

Foreign. Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle has announced her resignation following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

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During Monday's congressional hearings, she faced harsh criticism and faced demands for her resignation from both Democrats and Republicans.

I In an email to his staff, Cheatle expressed his deep sadness at having to leave his post and said he took full responsibility for the security lapse that allowed the attack.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to resign “, she wrote.

During the hearing, it was questioned why no agent was placed on the roof from where the shooter fired his shots at Trump. Cheatle could not provide concrete answers and referred to ongoing investigations. Questions about how many agents were present and why the shooter was not discovered when he climbed onto the roof remained unanswered.

Republican Lisa McClain criticized Cheatle's lack of preparation for the hearing with a sarcastic comment about her confidence in her own hair color. Both Chairman James Comer (R) and Jamie Raskin (D) expressed mutual disappointment with Cheatle's leadership and lack of trust.

Cheatle, who was appointed by President Joe Biden after more than 20 years in the Secret Service, was praised by the President for his courage and commitment. Biden emphasized her selfless efforts for the nation's security.

Trump, for his part, was critical, accusing the Biden administration of a lack of social media protections. He claimed he was “forced to take a bullet for democracy”.

A new cross-party task force has now been appointed to investigate the assassination attempt, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D). The group must consist of politicians from both parties.