'As she should': Internet agrees with Steve Scalise as he calls on Kimberly Cheatle to step down after Donald Trump shooting

Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service, admitted that the security at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a 'failure'
PUBLISHED JUL 16, 2024
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise calls US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down after Donald Trump's assassination attempt (Wikimedia Commons, Getty Images)
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise calls US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down after Donald Trump's assassination attempt (Wikimedia Commons, Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN:  House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La) has called on US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down.

The call to step down from the post comes after assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump at his rally on Saturday, July 13.

Steve Scalise says he's disappointed by Kimberly Cheatle's 'candor'

Ever since the assassination attempt when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks aimed at the former president, the Secret Service has come under increased scrutiny.

Questions have been asked about how the shooter was allowed to come in "direct line of sight" of the former president.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service, also admitted that the security at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a "failure."

Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks (@CollinRugg/X)
Since the assassination attempt when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks aimed at the former president, the Secret Service has come under increased scrutiny (@CollinRugg/X)

Additionally, before the bullet grazed Trump's ear, the involved agencies did not neutralize the shooter, who, according to reports, had been spotted by some individuals minutes before he ascended to the rooftop with a rifle.

“I think she should,” Scalise said at a CNN-Politico event at the RNC when asked if Cheatle should step down. “I’ve been very disappointed by her lack of candor," Scalise added, The Hill reported. 

Kimberly Cheatle says Donald Trump's assassination attempt is 'something that shouldn't happen again'

Cheatle told ABC News in an interview after the shooting that she does not plan to resign, but she did note “the buck stops with me.” 

"It was unacceptable," she said, adding, "And it's something that shouldn't happen again."

CHARLESTON, WV - AUGUST 21:  President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Charleston Civic Center
The call to step down from the post comes after Saturday’s assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump at his rally (Getty Images)

"It was obviously a situation that as a Secret Service agent, no one ever wants to occur in their career," she said.

"The buck stops with me," she said, adding "I am the director of the Secret Service, and I need to make sure that we are performing a review and that we are giving resources to our personnel as necessary."

Kimberly Cheatle pushes back on rumors about Secret Service 

Cheatle also pushed back on the misinformation that is out there regarding the assassination attempt.

“Secret Service is not political,” she said. “Security is not political. People's safety is not political. And that's what we're focused on as an agency," she further told the station. 

She echoed the statements of other officials, emphasizing that the rumors of the former president's detail requesting additional resources are unfounded.

The decision to take out the shooter, she said, was a “split second decision” the agent made while perched on the roof.

“They have the ability to make that decision on their own. If they see that it's a threat and they did that in that instance," she said.

"And I applaud the fact that they made that decision and didn't have to check with anybody and thankfully neutralized the threat," she added.

Internet reacts as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise calls Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down

Meanwhile, the internet has so far agreed with the call for Kimberly Cheatle to step down. Some asked they were wondering why were there no calls like these.

'I mean just being fair. If the roles were reversed, and Biden was almost shot because our guys were prohibited from slopped roofs, I’d equally call for the resignation of that director," wrote one on X.

"I was wondering where these calls were," wrote one more with another adding, "As she should."

One more said it was, "Just a matter of time…..most likely by Friday." Another added, "Someone needs to be held to account for not giving Trump more robust security."



 



 



 



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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