Kimberly Cheatle, the head of the United States Secret Service, has announced her resignation in the wake of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
According to Aljazeera, Cheatle sent an email to staff on Tuesday, taking full responsibility for the security lapse and expressing her decision to step down with a “heavy heart.”
The move comes after Cheatle faced intense scrutiny from US lawmakers during a congressional committee hearing on Monday.
She acknowledged the agency’s failure, calling the incident “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades.”
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Cheatle said in the email to staff. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
Cheatle assured lawmakers that the agency would take steps to prevent such an incident from happening again.
“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” Cheatle told lawmakers.
“There clearly was a mistake and we will make every effort to make sure that this never happens again,” she said.
The resignation follows the July 13 shooting at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, where the former president was injured.
Cheatle’s departure marks a significant development in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, as the agency seeks to address concerns over security protocols and prevent future lapses.
