Kimberly Cheatle has resigned from her position as Director of the U.S. Secret Service following widespread outrage over the agency’s failure to prevent an attempted assassination on Donald Trump earlier this month.
Cheatle resigned a day after a tense House hearing on the Secret Service’s failures at Trump’s July 13 rally.
Despite the criticism, she initially refused to step down, claiming she was the best person to lead the agency.
However, on Tuesday, Cheatle wrote a letter to Secret Service staff announcing her resignation. “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 wrote.
“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure. On July 13th, we fell short in that mission. The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue as our operational tempo increases. As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse.”
