Chairman Comer: “How many Secret Service agents were assigned to President Trump on the day of the rally?”
During a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing titled “Oversight of the U.S. Secret Service and the Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump,” U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was heavily criticized by both Republican and Democrat members for failing to address significant security lapses. These failures led to an attempted assassination of President Trump, a murder, and injuries at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Cheatle’s inability or refusal to answer basic questions prompted bipartisan calls for her resignation.
Key concerns included:
- Whether additional security requests from Trump’s campaign were denied.
- Inadequate securing of a rooftop with a clear view of Trump’s podium.
- Details on intelligence gathered about the gunman.
- Deployment of Secret Service resources at the rally.
- The presence of temporary agents at the rally site.
Committee Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin called for Cheatle’s resignation, stressing the need for accountability and improvement in Secret Service operations. Members highlighted issues such as the departure of staff under Cheatle’s leadership, inconsistent responses, and lack of transparency, contributing to public mistrust and conspiracy theories. The Oversight Committee, alongside Speaker Mike Johnson’s Task Force, plans to continue investigating to prevent future security failures.
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