By Caribbean News Global
WASHINGTON, USA – US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on July 23, following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and her testimony to the Oversight Committee, July 22, 2024.
“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13, we failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse. As an agency, we are fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation, the oversight you have initiated here, and conducting our own internal mission assurance review at my direction. Likewise, we will cooperate with the pending external review and the DHS Office of the Inspector General,” said the written testimony from director Kimberly Cheatle [Monday July 22, 2023] to the Oversight Committee on the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump.
“An assassination attempt on a Secret Service protectee is the worst nightmare for the men and women who work around the clock every day of every year to prevent such attacks from happening in the first place. Throughout our 159-year history, assassination attempts have been made, uncovered, and thwarted on those we protect. Our agents, officers, and support personnel understand that every day we are expected to sacrifice our lives to execute a no-fail mission.”
On Tuesday, July 23, Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released the following statement regarding on the departure of Kimberly Cheatle:
“I am grateful to Kimberly Cheatle for her leadership as the director of the United States Secret Service and for her lifelong devotion to our country.
“Director Cheatle has dedicated her career to public service. She has served in the Secret Service for more than 29 years, rising through the ranks because of her talent, hard work, selfless dedication to mission, and integrity. Daily, she risked her life to protect others, serving on the frontlines and securing events for every president since president Clinton. She supervised protection for vice president Cheney, led the Secret Service’s training center, supervised the protection of vice president Biden, oversaw the agency’s entire protective mission during the administration of president Trump, and more.
“Reflecting her devotion to country above all else, director Cheatle returned from retirement to lead the agency and its noble mission that she loves and to which she has devoted her career. Over the past two years, she has led the Secret Service with skill, honor, integrity, and tireless dedication. She is deeply respected by the men and women of the agency and by her fellow leaders in the Department of Homeland Security. I am proud to have worked with Director Cheatle and we are all grateful for her service.
“The men and women of the United States Secret Service risk their lives every day to protect others. They make the Secret Service the finest protective agency in the world.”
Meanwhile, House Committee on Homeland Security chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) released the following statement on the resignation of US Secret Service (USSS) director Kimberly Cheatle:
“I am pleased that director Cheatle finally did what she should have done days ago resign. Protecting the president of the United States and presidential nominees is the Secret Service’s mission. There is no room for mistakes. Unfortunately, that was not the case here. We witnessed a massive security failure by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, the closest someone has been to taking the life of a president or presidential candidate since president Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. That is why this Committee is demanding full transparency and accountability. Director Cheatle’s resignation will do nothing to stop our oversight efforts or the broader Congressional investigation – nor does it magically resolve all the problems and lapses that led to the massive security failure of July 13.”