US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigns after Trump assassination attempt
- The agency is facing questions about how a gunman was able get in position and fire at the ex-US president during an outdoor rally
US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the agency came under harsh scrutiny for its failure to stop a would-be assassin from wounding former US president Donald Trump during a campaign rally, the White House said on Tuesday.
The Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of current and former US presidents, faces a crisis after a gunman was able to fire at Trump from a roof overlooking the outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
“The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions,” Democratic US President Joe Biden said in a statement. “We all know what happened that day can never happen again.”
Secret Service Deputy Director Ronald Rowe, a 24-year veteran of the agency, will serve as acting director, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.
The Secret Service faces investigations from multiple congressional committees and the internal watchdog of the US Department of Homeland Security, its parent organisation, over its performance. Biden, who has ended his re-election campaign, has also called for an independent review.
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Trump rally shooting: Biden orders security review, FBI believes shooter acted alone
Cheatle faced bipartisan condemnation when she appeared before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee on Monday, declining to answer questions from frustrated lawmakers about the security plan for the rally and how law enforcement responded to the suspicious behaviour of the gunman.
