23 July,2024 08:29 PM IST | Washington | AP
Donald Trump. File Pic/AFP
The director of the Secret Service is stepping down from her job, according to an email she sent to staff, following the assassination attempt against Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the agency tasked with protecting current and former presidents could fail in its core mission.
Kimberly Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, had been facing growing calls to resign and several investigations into how the shooter was able to get so close to the Republican presidential nominee at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
"I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she said in the email to staff Tuesday.
"In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director," she said.
ALSO READ
Video shows NY officer fatally shooting 13-year-old
Israeli missile strike on Gaza humanitarian area kills at least 40: Palestinians
Australia holds largest warfare exercise
Spanish PM visits China to shore up trade & cultural ties amid EV tariff spat
Israelis protest again as the toll in Gaza grows
Cheatle's resignation comes a day after appeared before a congressional committee and was berated by hours by both Democrats and Republicans for the security failures. She called the attempt on Trump's life the Secret Service's 'most significant operational failure' in decades and said she takes fully responsibility for the security lapses, but angered lawmakers by failing to answer specific questions about the investigation.
The 20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking when he opened fire. That's despite a threat on Trump's life from Iran leading to additional security for the former president in the days before the July 13 rally.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
