Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) grilled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday about whether or not her agency turned down the Trump security team’s requests for more agents before a would-be assassin’s bullet struck former President Donald Trump.
Angry lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioned Cheatle during Monday’s House Oversight Committee hearing, demanding answers on what went wrong that allowed a former president to narrowly escape a bullet to the head on live television.
Jordan noted that the day after Trump was shot, a Secret Service spokesperson said it was “absolutely false” they had denied Trump’s security team’s requests for more resources. However, several days later, The Washington Post reported that top Secret Service officials had indeed repeatedly turned down Trump’s security’s requests for more personnel, Jordan said.
“So which is it? Cause both statements can’t be true. Were you guessing or lying when you said you didn’t turn down requests from President Trump’s detail?” Jordan asked Cheatle.
“Neither, sir,” Cheatle responded, saying that no requests were denied for the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot.
“Well maybe they got tired of asking,” Jordan asked. “How many times did you turn them down ahead of that?”
“A denial of a request does not equal a vulnerability,” Cheatle responded.
“Well, tell me what it is,” Jordan retorted.
“There are a number of ways threats and risks can be mitigated with a number of different assets whether that be through personnel, whether that be through technology, or other resources,” Cheatle said.
“Well, tell the committee which it was,” Jordan interrupted. “They asked for additional help in some form or another. You told them no. How many times did you tell them no, and what did you tell them no to?”
“Again, I cannot speak to specific incidents, but I can tell you in general terms, the Secret Service is judicious with their resources,” Cheatle responded.
“What did they ask for, and how many times did you turn them down? Pretty basic questions,” Jordan asked again.
“So again, without having all of the details in front of me, sir —” Cheatle began.
“You didn’t get briefed on that before you came to this hearing knowing you were going to get asked that question?” Jordan asked. “What a change from ‘absolutely false,’ unequivocally false to, ‘oh, by the way, there were some times when we didn’t give them what they wanted.’ That’s a huge change in five days, and the fact that you can’t answer how many times you did that, that’s pretty darn frustrating not just for me but for the country.”
“I hear your frustration,” Cheatle responded.
Jordan followed up again, asking if the Secret Service denied resources to Trump’s security team after they discovered an Iranian plot to kill the former president.
Cheatle did not answer the question directly.
“Director, it looks like you won’t answer some pretty basic questions. It looks like you got a 9% raise and you cut corners when it came to protecting one of the most important individuals, most well-known individuals on the planet, a former president, likely the guy who’s going to be the next president,” Jordan said.
Cheatle has defiantly resisted calls from both sides of the aisle for her to immediately resign in the wake of the attempted assassination on July 13.
A bullet grazed Trump’s right ear while he was speaking during his rally in Pennsylvania, and he ducked behind a podium before being whisked away by Secret Service agents. He raised his fist and shouted, “Fight!” as he exited the stage.
Law enforcement returned fire immediately, killing the shooter. One rally-goer was killed, and two others were injured.
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