US Secret Service director Kim Cheatle resigned on Tuesday morning. A day after her evasive and repulsive testimony before Congress and 10 days after Former President Trump attempt assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Cheatle had faced calls from both Democrats and Republicans to step down after a contentious House committee hearing on Monday about the incident.
“As your director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Ms Cheatle said in a resignation letter to agency staff on Tuesday.
In her resignation letter, Ms Cheatle said she had always “put the needs of the agency first” and it was “with a heavy heart” that she made her decision.
“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases, I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission.” she said.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he was grateful for her decades of public service.
“The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” he said.
Mr Biden said he would appoint a new director soon.
Her leadership came under question after the shooting at Trump’s 13 July rally, where a bullet grazed the former president’s ear. The assassination attempt attack left one audience member dead and two others badly wounded.
Lawmakers questioned Ms Cheatle about security preparations ahead of the campaign rally during the tense six-hour House Oversight Committee hearing. She took responsibility for the security lapses, but pushed back on calls to resign.
She had previously served 27 years at the agency in various roles.
