Cheatle Drops Shock Statement on Shooter - She’s So Much Worse Than We Thought

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle finds herself under scrutiny, facing significant criticism after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

Critics, including conservative activist Mike Cernovich, have questioned Cheatle's qualifications, highlighting that her government profile emphasizes diversity and her previous role as senior director of global security at PepsiCo.

Cernovich noted, "[Cheatle] is responsible for successfully executing the agency’s integrated mission of protection and investigations by leading a diverse workforce composed of more than 7,800 Special Agents, Uniformed Division Officers, Technical Law Enforcement Officers, and Administrative, Professional, and Technical personnel." (Emphasis ours.)

Despite this focus on diversity, concerns arise about its impact on the effectiveness of the Secret Service, as the agency failed to prevent the attack on Trump. The assailant, who fired several shots, managed to injure the former president’s ear before being killed by Secret Service agents. The delay in response time, approximately 30 minutes from when the shooter, Thomas Crooks, was first spotted on a nearby roof to when he was "neutralized," raises questions about the agency's protocols.

Cheatle defended the response time in an interview with ABC News, calling it "a very short period of time."

However, reports from Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV suggest otherwise, indicating that law enforcement noticed Crooks at 5:45 p.m., but it wasn't until 26 minutes later that shots were fired and Crooks was taken down by a Secret Service sniper.

Despite the severity of the situation, Cheatle maintained that the response time was appropriate, stating, "Seeking that person out, finding them, identifying them and eventually neutralizing them took place in a very short period of time, and it makes it very difficult."

While Cheatle did acknowledge that this incident "was an event that should have never happened," her defense of the agency's actions has done little to assuage critics. The call for her resignation or a clearer explanation of why 26 minutes is considered acceptable remains strong.

This is not Cheatle’s first controversy. Earlier this year, a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris had a mental health crisis and was removed from duty, highlighting ongoing concerns within the agency about "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) initiatives potentially compromising security. A petition within the Secret Service community cited DEI hiring practices as superseding necessary training, which, according to some, leads to security vulnerabilities.

Despite these incidents, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has expressed unwavering support for Cheatle. He stated, "I have full confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service," and indicated that an independent review would be conducted.

However, many believe Mayorkas should reevaluate his confidence in Cheatle, especially considering the 26-minute delay between identifying the threat and the subsequent shooting. The former president's safety—and potentially his life—was at stake, making this a critical issue that demands thorough investigation and accountability.