Kimberly Cheatle Resigns as U.S. Secret Service Director Amid Controversy

Cheatle to admit the loss, had accepted blames for the security breach and in her letter to President Joe Biden, she announced her resignation.

It is noteworthy that an assassination attempt on the former President of the United States was made in a public setting, which gives a hint about the efficiency of the Secret Service. It is one of the most massive security scandals of recent years; therefore, raising demands for reforms within the agency.

In her letter of resignation, Cheatle accepted that she had stepped into a hot seat and was aware of the consequences that would ensue. She said, “The past week has been extremely difficult for the agency and for me This week, I have realized that my position is beyond my capability to handle and I take full responsibility for the security breach that happened, my resignation will be good for the Secret Service and for the country.”

In her response, President Biden appreciated Cheatle’s commitment to duty and thanked her for her service. Speaking about Kimberly Cheatle decision Biden said that she has done a noble job for their country and stepping down was in line with accountability as they will start a process of searching for new director right now.

This has, in turn, led to a probe on the protocols of the Secret Service with the aim of identifying inefficiencies. Based on prior reports, several forms of negligence ranging from organizational, mid and operational management, and individual technician level negligence were points identified to have contributed to the breach. The investigation is focused on discovering the reasons for the occurrence of the incident and making changes to avoid them in the future.

Some of the reactions and comments made by the public and politically active personalities include the following. While some people have commended Cheatle for accepting responsibility and tendering her resignation some have blamed the agency and demanded for more radical changes to be made.

Senator Mark Warner, the Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee, said the incident that took place underlines the importance of reviewing the Secret Service’s working to prevent such episodes from recurring or ensuring that our leaders are protected from threats such as these.