Rep. Connolly asks Cheatle if number of guns in U.S. makes her job more difficult

(The Center Square) – Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle appeared before the House Oversight Committee to testify on the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which she conceded was a "failure."

U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Mass., asked Cheatle, "Do guns make your job easier or harder?" expressing concern that the prevalence of guns in American society might facilitate assassination attempts and political violence more broadly.

“A 20-year-old had access to his father's AR-15 and got on a roof within 500 feet of the podium. I’m asking you, did the availability of that AR-15, which is replicated all across America, make your job harder or easier?”

Cheatle responded, saying, “The threat environment for protecting our Secret Service protectees is always difficult, dynamic, and always evolving.”

Connolly continued to press Cheatle, repeating his question.

“I’m asking a simple analysis, Director Cheatle,” he said. “You're the head of the Secret Service, speaking on behalf of 8,000 service members who put their lives on the line.”

“I think the job of the Secret Service is difficult every day. We need to make sure we are mitigating all threats,” Cheatle responded.

“I think you're evading the question,” Connolly stated.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Cheatle responded. “It’s the environment the Secret Service works in every day.”

Cheatle began to respond, “I understand the Second Amendment rights of individuals…,” before being interrupted by Connolly.

Connolly himself has been a recent target of political violence. In May 2023, a man walked into his Virginia office with a baseball bat asking for the Representative. Two of his staffers were assaulted, leaving them with injuries that were not life-threatening.

“I have no reason to believe that his motivation was politically motivated, but it is possible that the sort of toxic political environment we all live in, you know, set him off. I would just hope all of us would take a little more time to be careful about what we say and how we say it,” he said following the attack.

Connolly’s line of questioning reflects the Democratic party’s worry over the access individuals have to firearms in the United States.