Washington DC

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was testifying on Monday (Jul 22) before the House Oversight Committee after the failed assassination attempt on ex-US president Donald Trump. She has come under intense pressure to resign following the agency's massive operational failure.

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In her opening remarks, Kimberly accepted that the July 13 incident was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades.” 

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She also stressed she would “move heaven and earth” to make sure a similar event never happens again. “Thinking about what we should have done differently is never far from my thoughts,” she said.

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Earlier, in his opening remarks, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, called on Kimberly to tender her resignation. “Americans demand answers,” which the Department of Homeland Security and USSS have refused to give, he said.

'Sufficient number of agents were assigned'

Kimberly Cheatle insisted that a sufficient number of agents were assigned to Trump on the day of the attempt on his life but declined to give the exact number. 

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Watch: US: Secret Service Chief Kimberly Cheatle summoned | Trump vs Harris

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She further confirmed that the gunman was identified as 'suspicious' before Trump even took the stage. When asked why Trump was not alerted about it, she said, "I accept responsibility for this tragedy."

Kimberly evades key questions

The Secret Service chief appeared to be evading key unresolved questions revolving around the July 13 incident, citing that "an investigation was still going on".

One of the key questions asked was why wasn't the shooter stopped after he was spotted on the roof with a rifle. “I’m not going to get into specifics of that day,” she responded.

Also read: First Democrat leader calls for Secret Service chief to resign over Trump assassination bid

She also claimed no additional resource request from Trump's team was denied by the service for the July 13 rally. “For the event in Butler, there were no requests that were denied,” Cheatle said.

The Iran threat

Representative Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, brought up the issue of threat from Iran against the ex-President. “Is an Iranian assassin more capable than a 20 year old?,” he pressed her.

“Because Donald Trump is alive, and thank God he is, you look incompetent,” Turner tells Cheatle. “If Donald Trump had been killed, you would have looked culpable.”

(With inputs from agencies)