Republican lawmakers call on Secret Service director to resign

On July 17, Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson said he would call on US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.

On the same day, Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, also called for Ms. Cheatle to resign. "This cannot happen in America and someone must be held accountable," Eric Trump said.

The site of the attempted assassination of Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo: Reuters

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted after a briefing with the Secret Service and FBI that Cheatle should resign. Blackburn said she was “horrified” to learn that the Secret Service had been alerted to a nearby threat before Trump took the stage on July 13.

“I have no confidence in Director Cheatle’s leadership and believe it is in the best interests of our nation for her to step down,” Blackburn wrote.

"This nation deserves answers and accountability. New leadership at the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wrote on X.

In an interview with Fox News, Mr. Johnson said he would set up a House task force to investigate the assassination and the security situation.

Calls for Cheatle to resign grew on July 17 after the Secret Service failed to prevent the assassination of Donald Trump last weekend, especially amid reports that the gunman had been suspicious for a long time before taking aim at the former president from a rooftop.

In an interview with ABC News on July 16, Ms. Cheatle said she would not resign but declared: "The responsibility lies with me. I am the director of the Secret Service."

The Secret Service was responsible for securing the inner perimeter of the rally, while local law enforcement was responsible for securing the outer area, including the building the gunman approached, she said.

The July 13 assassination attempt left Mr Trump with an ear wound, one audience member dead and two others injured. The 20-year-old gunman was killed after opening fire from a rooftop about 140 metres from the stage where Mr Trump spoke.

Hoai Phuong (according to Reuters, Guardian, NBC News)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cac-nghi-si-dang-cong-hoa-keu-goi-giam-doc-so-mat-vu-my-tu-chuc-post303919.html