Head of Secret Service: Hearing on Trump assassination leaves questions unanswered

After the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle admitted that the service failed – but left many questions unanswered. In an hour-long hearing in the US Congress, she frequently referred to ongoing investigations. Cheatle rejected calls for her resignation.

Above all, it remained unclear how it could happen that a roof with a direct view of the stage at Trump’s campaign event remained unoccupied and the 20-year-old assassin was able to fire several shots from there. He was then killed by a Secret Service sniper. One of his bullets hit Trump in the ear, one participant in the rally was killed and two others were injured. Cheatle said she personally apologized to Trump.

183 meters with a clear view of Trump’s stage

The building from which the shots were fired was about 183 meters from Trump’s stage, Cheatle said, and was outside the restricted area protected by the Secret Service.

Instead, officers from the local security authorities were stationed inside the flat company building, said Cheatle. It was also supposed to be observed from above – but she did not say how exactly. There were no Secret Service employees on a nearby water tower either, she admitted.

Cheatle had previously said in an interview that the company building’s pitched roof was deemed too steep to position officers on. Lawmakers pointed out that the roof behind Trump’s stage, where Secret Service snipers sat, was even steeper.

Several clues about the shooter

The Secret Service chief also admitted that there were “two to five” clues pointing to the later shooter, who was noticed, among other things, with a rangefinder.

However, she stressed that the service differentiates between suspicious-looking people and clear threats. A backpack or a rangefinder does not automatically make someone a threat. The attacker was only classified as a threat a few seconds before the shots were fired, she said. As in many places in the USA, openly carrying weapons was permitted in the area outside the security exclusion zone.

The Secret Service is responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians in the USA, including current and former presidents. The agency currently has 36 people under its protection – it is also active when officials visit.

“What are they covering up?”

Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House for the Republicans in November, was injured on July 13 during a campaign appearance in the state of Pennsylvania. He later said he turned his head shortly before the first shot was fired. The bullet grazed his right ear. Secret Service bodyguards then threw themselves at him.

Some Republican representatives tried their hand at conspiracy theories at the hearing in the House Oversight Committee on Monday. “What are they covering up?” asked Lisa McLain of Michigan Cheatle. “Was there a conspiracy to kill President Trump?” asked right-wing Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene. “Absolutely not,” replied the Secret Service chief.

At the same time, Cheatle left unanswered questions about how the shooter got onto the roof – and how many cartridge cases were found there.

“You should guard Doritos again”

In the committee, which is often divided along political lines, many Republicans and Democrats agreed this time that Cheatle should resign after the attack. She countered that she was currently the best person to lead the service. There would be a thorough investigation and consequences. The investigations are expected to take around two months, however.

Lawmakers from both parties were extremely frustrated with Cheatle’s answers. “You should be fired immediately and go back to guarding Doritos,” Republican Representative Pat Fallon shouted at her. The mention of the chip brand was an allusion to Cheatle’s interim job as head of security at beverage and snack giant PepsicCo. She had moved into business after 27 years with the Secret Service before being appointed head of the agency in September 2022. Republican Anna Paulina Luna accused Cheatle of not telling the truth under oath at the hearing.

“Worst operational failure in decades”

Cheatle described the attack as the Secret Service’s worst operational failure in decades. The chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Republican James Comer, said the attack could have been prevented. His Democratic vice-chairman Jamie Raskin, meanwhile, pointed out that gun attacks happen too often in America. People only believed that at least those protected by the Secret Service were safe from gun violence, while that is the everyday reality for ordinary Americans.

Livestream of the hearing