Staff Reports
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle threw in the towel just one day after a contentious congressional hearing that saw her sweating bullets—an event that involved accusations of negligence and her heartfelt admissions regarding the botched security for former President Donald Trump. It’s not every day that a resignation follows a political hearing with such flair, but Cheatle managed to pull it off in style, resigning with the grace of a cat leaving a burning roof.
NBC’s own Julia Ainsley broke the news that Cheatle had pulled the plug on her tenure early Tuesday morning, with an announcement expected shortly thereafter. Just days before, she had vehemently refused to step down in the wake of an assassination attempt on Trump while he was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania. This so-called assassination attempt almost sent the nation spiraling into a constitutional crisis, leading lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to engage in much hand-wringing over the current state of political rhetoric and the dire need for upgraded safety measures for presidential candidates. It’s almost poetic how such a serious matter turned Cheatle’s position into quicksand.
BREAKING: @JuliaEAinsley reports
Two law enforcement sources tell NBC News Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned. And an official announcement is coming later this morning— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) July 23, 2024
The circus surrounding the Secret Service’s handling of Trump’s campaign seems to have played a key role in her exit. Recent reports surfaced that the agency had, believe it or not, turned down previous requests for more personnel due to threats against Trump, which raises an eyebrow. When pressed by Congressman Jim Jordan on how many requests she had denied, Cheatle opted for a classic deflection move, stating that the agency ‘often relied on local law enforcement’—essentially implying that they had a buddy system in place for security, especially during election years.
Meanwhile, Senator Josh Hawley made headlines by revealing that Trump was assigned security personnel who lacked the necessary training to be effective agents. Talk about a recipe for disaster. As if that wasn’t enough to make one’s blood boil, Senator Chuck Grassley revealed evidence from a whistleblower showing that only three officers were assigned to Trump’s rally. At the same time, Jill Biden’s event boasted a hefty dozen. The Secret Service had a different playbook when accommodating these two candidates, which might leave one wondering if there was a little bias at play.
Grassley’s investigation into the inner workings of the Secret Service concerning both Trump and Jill Biden’s security settings unveiled the curious discrepancy of 12 vs. 3 post officers on that fateful day when they were only separated by a short 33 miles. The lopsided attention—perhaps more akin to a VIP event for some and a backyard barbecue for others—left some folks shaking their heads and calling for accountability. With Cheatle’s resignation, one has to wonder how much longer the taxpayers will tolerate such high-stakes games being played with the safety of those in public service.
