US Secret Service boss resigns after Trump shooting

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday, a day after admitting that the agency failed to prevent an assassination attempt against Donald Trump.

Cheatle had faced bipartisan calls to quit when questioned on security protocol around the July 13 Republican campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

What we know about the resignation

The resignation comes a day after Cheatle appeared before a congressional committee, where both Democrats and Republicans had berated her over the security failures.

"I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she said in an email to staff, the AP news agency reported. "In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director."

At the hearing, Cheatle admitted the attempt on Trump's life represented the Secret Service's "most significant operational failure" in decades. 

But while Cheatle said she took full responsibility for lapses, she angered lawmakers by not answering specific questions about what had happened. Instead, she cited multiple investigations that were underway. 

"It is overdue, she should have done this at least a week ago," said Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives. "I'm happy to see that she has heeded the call of both Republicans and Democrats."

Cheatle had served as a Secret Service agent for 27 years before leaving in 2021 to become head of security in North America for PepsiCo. US President Joe Biden named her to head the agency in 2022.

Biden said he was grateful for Secret Service Director Cheatle's decades of public service and that he would soon appoint a new leader for the agency

What happened at the rally?

The 20-year-old shooter was within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking. He opened fire with an AR-style assault rifle within minutes of Trump beginning to speak.

Trump was grazed in the right ear and one rally attendee was killed in the gunfire, with two more seriously wounded. The gunman was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper less than 30 seconds after firing the first of eight shots.

Investigators have concluded the shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, acted alone. They have not been able to identify any strong ideological or political motive.

The failure came despite accusations of a threat on Trump's life from Iran leading to a ramping up of security for the former president ahead of the rally.

rc/fb (AP, AFP, Reuters)