On Monday, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stated that “the buck stops with me,” amid scrutiny over the agency’s security preparations after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last Saturday.
Cheatle informed ABC News that “the Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the former president” and reiterated, “The buck stops with me; I am the director of the Secret Service.” She confirmed her intention to continue to stay in her role.
Kimberly Cheatle described the assassination attempt as “unacceptable,” adding, “This is an event that never should have happened.”
When questioned about her initial reaction to the failed attempt on the former president’s life, the director responded, “Shock and then concern, obviously, for the former president.”
Cheatle issued a statement earlier on Monday in her first public comment since the assassination attempt, asserting that the agency will “participate fully” in an independent review ordered by President Joe Biden and will cooperate with Congress on “any oversight action.”
Cheatle, who was appointed by President Biden in 2022, expressed confidence in the agency’s security plan for this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and noted that changes have been made to Trump’s security detail since the incident.
“The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy,” Cheatle said. “It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission.”
House Oversight Committee Republicans have forwarded a letter to Cheatle with new document requests and a notice to preserve all documents and communications regarding Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, as part of their separate investigation into the assassination attempt.