Secret Service Director Cheatle dodges Trump rally security questions for hours: 5 takeaways

Lawmakers grilled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle Monday for more than four hours at a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing after her agency’s staggering July 13 security failure at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, perched on the roof of a building and opened fire, wounding former President Donald Trump’s ear, killing firefighter Corey Comperatore and injuring two other bystanders.

In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle called for Cheatle’s resignation. Here are the key takeaways from the hearing. 

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1. Cheatle accepts blame for assassination attempt ‘failure’

Cheatle acknowledged that the assassination attempt on Trump was a colossal security failure.

“On July 13, we failed,” she told the committee. “As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency.” 

Cheatle called it the “most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades” and vowed to “move heaven and earth” to find out what went wrong. 

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2. Lawmakers press on ‘sloped roof’ excuse

Cheatle was peppered with questions about her prior assertion that the roof Crooks fired from remained unmanned during the rally because it was sloped. 

“I should have been more clear in my answer when I spoke about where we placed personnel in that interview. What I can tell you is that there was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities and who was going to provide overwatch,” or protection against rooftop snipers, she said. “The Secret Service in general, not speaking specifically to this incident, when we are providing overwatch, whether that be through counter-snipers or other technology, prefer to have sterile rooftops.”

Cheatle didn’t offer an explanation for why an agent wasn’t stationed on the roof.

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3. Why was Trump allowed on stage?

Under intense questioning, Cheatle acknowledged that local law enforcement had seen Crooks with a rangefinder and that the Secret Service had been notified at least twice about a suspicious person. Local law enforcement had even taken a picture of the long-haired gunman. 

But, Cheatle insisted, the Secret Service would never have taken Trump onto the stage if they had known there was an “actual threat.”

She also praised the agents who surrounded the Republican presidential nominee after the shots rang out. 

“I would grade the agents and officers who selflessly threw themselves in front of the president and neutralized the threat an A. I think that we need to examine the events that led up to and prior to that day,” she said.

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4. Lawmakers frustrated by lack of answers

Several lawmakers expressed their frustration with Cheatle’s evasive answers, with Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joining the chorus of discontent. She was especially frustrated after learning that a final report on the incident would not be available for another two months.

“This is about the safety of some of the most highly targeted and valued targets internationally and domestically in the United States of America,” Ocasio-Cortez told Cheatle. “So the idea that a report will be finalized in 60 days, let alone prior to any actionable decisions that would be made, is simply not acceptable.” 

Rep. Nancy Mace asked Cheatle if she had provided all audio and video recordings, as requested, to the committee. 

“I would have to get back to you,” Cheatle replied.

“That is a no. You are full of s–t today. You’re just being completely dishonest,” Mace said. “These are important questions that the American people want answers to. And you’re just dodging and talking around in generalities. And we had to subpoena you to be here.”

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5. Cheatle refuses to step down

Despite the multi-hour skewering, Cheatle refused to step down.

“I’ve been a Secret Service agent for nearly 30 years. I have led with integrity, and I follow our core values of duty, justice, honor, loyalty and courage, and I am doing that in this case, and I assure this committee that I will provide answers when we have a full and complete report, in addition to cooperating with all of the other investigations that are ongoing,” she told the committee.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna pointed out that when there was an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, the then-Secret Service director stepped down. 

“I just don’t think this is partisan. If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president, or a candidate, you need to resign,” Khanna said.