USSS official Anthony Guglielmi busts 'baseless' blame on organization's DEI policies for endangering Trump

WASHINGTON, DC: The US Secret Service is defending its female agents following attacks from conservative pundits and lawmakers.

Critics have suggested, without evidence, that these agents are underqualified and were only hired due to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

Secret Service defends its officers as 'fully capable of performing' missions

Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service's Chief of Communication, called these "baseless assertions," in a statement to The Hill. He said the agency was committed to professionalism and capability.

“As an elite law enforcement agency, all of our agents and officers are highly trained and fully capable of performing our missions," Guglielmi expressed his dismay at the disparaging comments.

"It is an insult to the women of our agency to imply that they are unqualified based on gender," he added. "Such baseless assertions undermine the professionalism, dedication, and expertise of our workforce."

Guglielmi highlighted the unity within the agency against attempts to discredit their personnel, saying, “We stand united against any attempt to discredit our personnel and their invaluable contributions to our mission."

USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle under intense scrutiny after Donald Trump's assassination attempt

The attacks on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Capitol Hill have intensified following a shocking assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has described the incident as a “failure,” which allowed a gunman to fire several shots toward the former US president.

Despite growing calls for her resignation, Cheatle has reiterated that she has no plans to step down.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi previously affirmed, “Cheatle has no intentions to step down,” stressing the importance of "continuity" in leadership.

Cheatle's resolve to stay in her position comes as the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena for her to testify at a hearing on July 22.

Rep James Comer (R-Ky) expressed concerns over a “lack of transparency and failure to cooperate” with the committee, questioning Cheatle's ability to lead the US Secret Service.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, echoed these sentiments and announced plans to establish a bipartisan House task force to investigate the attempted assassination. He also called on Joe Biden to fore her on Thursday.

Internet reacts to US Secret Service's defense of female hires

Online reactions have been harsh, with many criticizing the Secret Service's handling of the incident and its defense of DEI policies after Donald Trump's assassination attempt.

One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “What is disgusting is the total failure of the Secret Service, their 10 excuses thus far and their attempts to shift the blame on local police.”

Another commented, “They are not tall enough to fully shield the President and then go from there.”

Critics also targeted Cheatle, with one person stating, "Pro tip for Kim Cheatle: Now is not the time to be attacking anyone over any criticism of the catastrophic debacle we all witnessed."

Another user added, “Well if you would hire the best instead of checking boxes, you wouldn’t be in this position.”

Concerns over DEI policies were also voiced, with one individual saying, “What is disturbing is the institutional racism associated with DEI policies. There should be no place for hiring based on gender or race.”

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.