Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) directed sharp criticism at Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Turner demanded Cheatle’s resignation or firing by President Joe Biden, asserting that the Secret Service’s failure to protect Trump was evident.
Turner gave emphasis to a breakdown in security measures, criticizing Cheatle for not adequately addressing the threat despite prior intelligence and ongoing concerns about terrorist threats.
He argued that the Secret Service’s response was insufficient, highlighting that the shooter was only neutralized after Trump was injured. Turner insisted that Cheatle’s resignation or dismissal was necessary to ensure better protection for high-profile individuals and the public.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Are ISIS terrorists and al-Qaeda terrorists and international groups and terrorists more capable than a 20 year old in pulling off their mass shooting or an assassination of Donald Trump?
DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE: Sure. Again, there was clearly a breakdown and a failure that day.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Have you read the intelligence of the terrorists that are currently in the United States, that Director Wray speaks, and those individuals that are here that are affiliated with terror groups and organizations that are in the process, as Director Wray said of representing a significant threat of a terrorist attack occurring in the United States?
DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE: I have read reports that apply specifically to the Secret Service’s mission.
REP. MIKE TURNER: Director Cheatle. Because Donald Trump is alive — and thank God he is — you look incompetent.
If Donald Trump had been killed, you would have looked culpable. There is no aspect of this that indicates that there has been any protection to Donald Trump.
The threat was was identified before he took the stage, and the shooter was only killed after Donald Trump himself was killed.
Not only should you resign if you refuse to do so, President Biden needs to fire you!
Because his life, Donald Trump’s life, and all the other people which you protect, are at risk because you have no concept of the aspect that the security footprint needs to be correlated to the threat!
