Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle took responsibility Monday for security failures that led to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump but sidestepped several major questions in testimony before a visibly frustrated House oversight committee.
In her opening remarks, Cheatle called the shooting the “most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.” She said she was determined to learn what went wrong at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, when a gunman opened fire from the roof of a nearby building, striking Trump in the ear, killing one rallygoer and wounding another.
“I accept responsibility for this tragedy,” Cheatle said. “We are going to look into how this happened, and we are going to take corrective action to ensure it never happens again.”
Cheatle, who was subpoenaed to testify, was skewered by committee members from both parties, who told her she should resign over her “incompetence,” her “lame excuses,” and her lack of answers to what they called basic questions.
Cheatle did not provide clear answers when committee members asked about whether the Secret Service had secured the building that the gunman fired from and how he gained access to the roof.
“I’m not going to get into specifics of the day,” she said, citing an ongoing investigation. “There was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities.”
She declined to give specific figures when other committee members asked how many agents were assigned to protect Trump that day, as well as the number of times the Secret Service has denied Trump’s request for additional security assets.
Cheatle said that the agency provided the assets that were requested for the July 13 rally, and that she felt “there was a sufficient number of agents assigned” to Trump that day.
Cheatle told the committee that the gunman had been “identified as suspicious” before Trump took the stage. She said Trump was still allowed to continue to the podium, where he was shot, because the gunman had not yet been identified as a “threat.”
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said that the gunman should have been seen as a “threat” and that the rally should have been paused before Trump began speaking, when spectators started screaming that there was an armed man on the roof.
“That’s a threat, right there,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Cheatle said the agency was “still combing through communications and when communications were passed.”
Cheatle said the gunman, who she believes acted alone, went from being a suspicious person to a threat “seconds” before the gunfire began.
Counter-snipers do not “have to ask for permission” to shoot threats, Cheatle said, adding that there was no order to hold fire.
Responding to questions about how she communicates, Cheatle said she uses encrypted apps on occasion to communicate with colleagues but that she does not use them on her work device.
The exasperation of some committee members was laid bare about an hour into the hearing when Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., asked Cheatle whether guns make her job easier or harder. Cheatle did not answer yes or no, irritating Connolly.
“Please answer the question. You’re the head of the Secret Service,” Connolly said. “And now I think you’re evading the answer, which is not a hard one.”
Later, Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, raised his voice and repeatedly pointed his finger as he similarly demanded clear answers. “Tell us what went wrong!” he said.
Two hours into the hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., was told to exhibit decorum when she slammed Cheatle for dodging questions and being “completely dishonest” about her cooperation with the committee.
“You’re full of s— today!” she said. “We have asked you repeatedly to answer our questions.”
Because Trump survived, Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, said Cheatle only appeared “incompetent.” But if the former president had been killed, Turner told Cheatle, “You would have looked culpable.”
Despite calls to resign, Cheatle remained firm in her decision to stay on as director and touted her nearly three-decade career with the agency.
“I have led with integrity,” Cheatle said. “I assure this committee that I will provide answers when we have a full and complete report.”
Cheatle said the goal is to have a complete report within 60 days, which lawmakers slammed as unacceptable and too long.
“It’s been nine days,” said Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., who chairs the committee. “Every American wants these questions answered.”
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