Secret Service Chief Kimberly Cheatle Resigns Amid Trump Assassination Attempt Fallout

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned following demands from lawmakers and probes into the handling of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The shooting incident, which occurred at a recent Pennsylvania rally, has sparked criticism and calls for Cheatle's impeachment.

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, according to CNN. Her resignation follows a series of probes by lawmakers and an internal government watchdog examining the agency's response to the incident and how a gunman nearly killed a Republican presidential candidate for Pennsylvania.

Calls for Cheatle's resignation intensified after the July 13 Pennsylvania rally, where Trump came under fire. Members of Congress from both parties voiced demands for her to step down, and Republicans continuously pushed for her impeachment. Lawmakers expressed heightened frustration after Cheatle refused to answer several questions during her public hearing before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.

Despite acknowledging significant security flaws during her testimony, Cheatle had initially refused to resign. She maintained that she was the most suitable person to lead the Secret Service. US House Speaker Mike Johnson described her resignation as "overdue." Appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022, Cheatle had previously insisted she would not step down in the wake of the shooting incident.

In a recent CNN interview, Cheatle stated the event's security planning and execution were entirely the Secret Service's responsibility. An unguarded rooftop allowed the gunman to open fire on Trump, narrowly missing his head and resulting in the death of one rallygoer and injuries to several others. The shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was later confirmed deceased by the FBI.

During the rally, Trump was on stage when gunshots erupted, compelling Secret Service agents to rush him off. Hours following the incident, Trump revealed a bullet had grazed the upper part of his right ear.

(With inputs from agencies.)