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From the New York Post: Embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who is facing congressional outcry and calls to resign over security lapses leading to former President Donald Trump’s near-assassination Saturday, landed her role thanks largely to a close relationship with first lady Jill Biden, The Post has learned.
Cheatle, 53, is the first woman to lead the presidential protection agency and secured the non-Senate-confirmed role in August 2022 after a three-year stint as senior director of global security at PepsiCo. Before that, she had served 27 years in the Secret Service, beginning in the Clinton administration.
Four sources close to President Biden’s family, including people who interacted with Cheatle during the Obama-Biden administration, said she was well liked by the future first lady and her most senior aides, including top adviser Anthony Bernal.
An unnamed Democratic insider told the NY Post, “Cheatle served on Dr. Biden’s second lady detail and Anthony pushed for her. Anthony has no national security or law enforcement experience. He should have no influence over the selection of the USSS director.”
Another source reportedly confirmed, “I heard at the time she was being considered for director that Anthony had pushed her forward as an option.”
Many are blaming the Secret Service for not making sure the roof was secure, and are calling for Cheatle’s resignation.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) announced Monday morning, “I’ll be introducing legislation ASAP to hold Kimberly Cheatle, the Director of the Secret Service, accountable for allowing President Trump to get shot in an assassination attempt. Either this was intentional or the Secret Service was grossly incompetent on Saturday. Director Cheatle has got to go!”
🚨NEW: ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE.
This should have never happened. Can’t wait for the FULL investigation.
How did a guy with a rifle climb a nearby rooftop and get so close to a former president and leading presidential candidate?
This was a… pic.twitter.com/dEWJXegibX
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) July 14, 2024
Cheatle allegedly deleted all her text messages on or before January 6, 2021.
This is Kimberly Cheatle.
She is the Secret Service Director.She deleted all of her text messages on and before January 6th.
They were never recovered. pic.twitter.com/LnEi0QBnXi
— John LeFevre (@JohnLeFevre) July 14, 2024
Major fail
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
Scoop from a trained sniper:
“That whole thing was a fucking failure.
The Secret Service got there slow, the swat team got there slow. And Why the fuck did they keep him on the stage?
He should’ve been off of there in two seconds!! yet they stand him up !!! For what ??? to…
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) July 14, 2024
There’s no room for incompetence in the Secret Services and there was failure on multiple fronts.
Kimberly Cheatle the Director of the U.S. Secret Service should resign immediately and be thoroughly investigated.
According to Dan Bongino she puts politics before people. pic.twitter.com/7CVeqUnGIE
— Thomas Guignette 🇺🇸 (@Tomfound) July 14, 2024
