U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle expressed her support for the recently announced Blue Ribbon Panel to review our actions and the investigation of the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump.
Read the full statement here. pic.twitter.com/cqVTwjjFWp
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) July 22, 2024
The Secret Service is facing intense scrutiny as Director Kimberly Cheatle prepares to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The hearing, set for Monday morning, will focus on the agency’s handling of the incident at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. In her prepared statements, Cheatle is expected to take full responsibility for any security lapses.
The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13th, we failed,” excerpts from her remarks read. The agency’s failure has been described as one of the biggest crises it has faced in decades.
The security failures around the assassination attempt on President Trump are unacceptable. The Director of the Secret Service should resign or be fired. https://t.co/tzuDQ1u8Yt
— Darin LaHood (@RepLaHood) July 19, 2024
The hearing follows calls for a bipartisan commission to investigate the assassination attempt, led by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa.
secret service scrutiny and oversight
Some bits here: 1) Secret Service did not tell Trump's team that threat against him was from Iran.
2) Outdoor rallies are off for the foreseeable future.
3) Secret Service and GOP have been at odds for months over convention, fueling even more anger now. https://t.co/CWpDC5rY3T— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) July 19, 2024
The proposed commission would examine actions by federal, state, and local agencies and issue a report with findings and recommendations by December 13, 2024. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
acknowledged “clear lapses” in the Secret Service’s operation during the rally, while expressing high regard for the agency’s professionalism and urging a thorough review. Ron Layton, a former Secret Service official, emphasized the importance of the hearing in explaining the failures and detailing corrective measures. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., called for full transparency from Homeland Security and the Secret Service.
Investigators are still probing the motives of the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Expert analysis suggests that Crooks was likely driven by a desire for attention and fame rather than political motivations. As the nation awaits answers and reassurances from the agencies responsible for protecting its leaders, the hearing is expected to shed light on the security lapses and the measures being taken to prevent future incidents.
