U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned after facing backlash over the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in an email to staff Tuesday obtained by The Associated Press . “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”
President Joe Biden thanked Cheatle for her decades of public service in a statement confirming her resignation. He also announced plans to appoint a new director “soon.”
U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, seen Monday, has resigned after facing backlash over the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
“She has selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career in the United States Secret Service. We especially thank her for answering the call to lead the Secret Service during our Administration and we are grateful for her service to our family,” he said.
Cheatle’s resignation, first reported by NBC and the AP, follows her taking questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week over the July 13 shooting that wounded Trump and killed a man in attendance.
Speaking before lawmakers, Cheatle described the shooting as “the most significant operational failure” at the Secret Service in decades.
“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders,” she said. “On July 13th, we failed.”
Cheatle, seen taking questions about the upcoming Democratic National Convention in June, faced calls to resign from both Republicans and Democrats following the shooting.
A representative for the Secret Service did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Trump pointedly blamed the Biden-Harris administration for the shooting in a statement released shortly after Cheatle’s announced departure.
“The Biden/Harris Administration did not properly protect me, and I was forced to take a bullet for Democracy. IT WAS MY GREAT HONOR TO DO SO!” he said in an online post .
Cheatle had faced calls to resign from both Republicans and Democrats following the shooting.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, joined Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) in calling for her resignation Monday.
The pair said Cheatle not only failed in her leadership on July 13, but she failed to provide answers to lawmakers’ “basic questions” during her testimony.
“We call on you to resign as Director as a first step to allowing new leadership to swiftly address this crisis and rebuild the trust of a truly concerned Congress and the American people,” they said in a letter .
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