Secret Service Director Dodges Questions On Trump Assassination Attempt
During a tense House Oversight Committee hearing, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced severe criticism for her agency’s failure to prevent an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Cheatle repeatedly deflected questions by citing an ongoing FBI investigation, frustrating lawmakers from both parties.
Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) pressed Cheatle for details about the attack, including whether the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, acted alone. Cheatle’s response, “I would have to refer you to the FBI,” did little to satisfy the committee.
Cheatle admitted the incident was the “most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades” and accepted “full responsibility,” but refused to resign. Her admission that she had not yet visited the Butler, Pennsylvania, site of the attempt, nine days into the investigation, only intensified the committee’s scrutiny.
The hearing also revealed troubling details about Crooks, who used encrypted communications and possessed explosives. Despite identifying Crooks as a threat prior to the event, the Secret Service failed to secure a vulnerable rooftop from which Crooks launched his attack.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) criticized Cheatle’s evasive responses, suggesting that her leadership appeared “incompetent” and would have been deemed “culpable” had Trump been killed. The session ended with calls for improved accountability and better security measures to prevent future incidents.
