Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday morning
Former President Trump has reacted to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, stating in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that “she never gave me proper protection.”
Cheatle resigned on Tuesday morning amid mounting pressure from both Republican and Democrat lawmakers following a significant security lapse at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month.
The incident saw a 20-year-old suspect, Thomas Crooks, attempt to assassinate Trump, narrowly missing him by a quarter of an inch. The bullet instead grazed Trump’s upper right ear, tragically killing firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was protecting his family, and severely injuring two others.
“She never gave me proper protection, so I ended up having to take a bullet for democracy,” Trump told Fox News Digital following Cheatle’s resignation. He added, “Many requests were made by on-site Secret Service for more people, always with a turndown or no response. I have the biggest crowds in history, and they should be treated accordingly.”
Despite the criticism, Trump acknowledged recent improvements in security measures, stating that “big improvements have been made over the last week.”
Fox News obtained and reviewed Cheatle’s resignation letter, which she sent to the U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday morning. This came a day after her testimony before the House Oversight Committee and over a week after the assassination attempt.
In her letter, Cheatle addressed the men and women of the U.S. Secret Service: “The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure. On July 13th, we fell short on that mission.”
Cheatle noted the intense scrutiny over the past week and acknowledged that it would continue as the operational demands on the agency increase. “As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she wrote. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has launched an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of security during the Trump rally on July 13.