(NationalUSNews.com) — Due to the fallout from the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned from the agency.
The shooting at Trump’s recent rally left many citizens and lawmakers concerned, given the numerous mistakes made by Secret Service members during the moments preceding Trump’s near-death experience. President Joe Biden has honored Cheatle for her service and released a statement thanking Cheatle and celebrating her two-year tenure as the Secret Service director.
In his statement, Biden said that he and his wife, Jill Biden, wanted to express their gratitude to Cheatle for her lengthy career in public service. Biden noted that Cheatle risked her life by serving as a public servant and celebrated the director for her effort to protect members of the Biden family. Biden briefly referred to the controversy surrounding Cheatle and the assassination attempt on Trump, claiming that it takes a strong leader to take responsibility and admit when their employees made a mistake.
Biden concluded his statement by confirming that he called for an independent investigation into the incident, which remains ongoing. Biden hopes the independent investigation can help lawmakers avoid a similar incident and prevent further mistakes by Secret Service members or other necessary security personnel. Biden hasn’t decided who could permanently replace Cheatle as the Secret Service director, but a replacement director will be confirmed soon.
Although Biden claims that people should appreciate Cheatle, other lawmakers are furious about the shooting at Trump’s rally and the Secret Service’s failure to prevent the near tragedy. Online posts about the incident quickly circulated social media, showcasing agents from the Secret Service ignoring eventgoers who warned them about a suspicious man with a rifle minutes before the shooting began.
Cheatle recently appeared before the House Oversight Committee to testify about the incident but infuriated lawmakers when she refused to answer their questions meaningfully. Cheatle repeatedly referred to the FBI during her testimony and claimed she couldn’t answer lawmakers’ questions about the incident. Various lawmakers told Cheatle she should resign from the Secret Service due to her agents’ failure to prevent the shooting, prompting the director to leave the Secret Service shortly after she testified.
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