
Audio By Carbonatix
The director of the Secret Service is stepping down from her job, according to an email she sent to staff.
This follows the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the agency tasked with protecting current and former presidents could fail in its core mission.
Kimberly Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, had been facing growing calls to resign and several investigations into how the shooter was able to get so close to the Republican presidential nominee at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in the email to staff Tuesday. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
Cheatle’s resignation comes a day after appeared before a congressional committee and was berated by hours by both Democrats and Republicans for the security failures. She called the attempt on Trump’s life the Secret Service’s “most significant operational failure” in decades and said she takes fully responsibility for the security lapses, but angered lawmakers by failing to answer specific questions about the investigation.
The 20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security for the former president in the days before the July 13 rally.
Latest Stories
-
CID arrests 11 in Tema cybercrime operation as two ‘trafficking victims’ become suspects
36 seconds -
Wontumi’s last words to me were ‘work hard, bring NPP back to power’ – Palgrave Boakye-Danquah
2 minutes -
‘Abrogate the contract, refund deducted funds’ – Sulemana Braimah tells NASPA
30 minutes -
NASPA clarifies GH¢60 deduction, says fee was meant to be GH¢15 monthly
35 minutes -
Flux Power & Automation launches smart energy management system to help Ghanaian businesses cut electricity costs
38 minutes -
Consortium in talks to buy Liverpool minority stake
39 minutes -
NASPA suspends capacity building programme after concerns over allowance deductions
42 minutes -
Global drug threats emerging rapidly through technology – NACOC D-G
49 minutes -
Wontumi conviction: History has been made; political protection for illegal miners over – Inusah Fuseini
49 minutes -
No sirens or police escorts without approval, Speaker Bagbin tells MPs
51 minutes -
Challenging Heights selected for FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund to support child trafficking survivors
1 hour -
Italy proposes 3,000 hectare mechanised cocoa farm as COCOBOD explores new partnership
1 hour -
Adu Boahene trial: EOCO investigator says no complaint sparked GH¢49.1m probe
1 hour -
Photos: Mahama meets global health leaders to discuss Africa’s health sovereignty
1 hour -
President Mahama discusses health-related matters with top UN officials
1 hour