At RNC, Senators Confront Secret Service Chief

They followed Kimberley Cheatle out of luxury suite
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 18, 2024 3:30 AM CDT

Secret Service Director Kimberley Cheatle was confronted at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night by Republican senators demanding answers about the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. The senators confronted Cheatle in a luxury suite at Fiserv Arena and followed her, shouting questions, when she left after around two minutes, the Washington Post reports. In a video posted on X, Sen. Marsha Blackburn can be heard shouting, "This was an assassination attempt. You owe the people answers! You owe President Trump answers!"

Sen. John Barrasso said he and Blackburn went "face-to-face" with Cheatle, asking for answer about "how that shooter was able to get off a clear shot when the FBI and SS knew that there was a suspicious person an hour in advance of when the shooting occurred," the Hill reports. Before she left the suite, Cheatle said she didn't think it was the right place for the discussion. She said the suite was provided to "thank the partners that have helped secure the Republican National Convention, and I would not want to take away from their evening."

Blackburn said it was "appalling" that Cheatle wouldn't answer their questoins. "This is one of the greatest security failures in the history of the agency," she said. "She can run but she cannot hide. She is a failed leader and she needs to immediately step down from her position." In a statement, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, "Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident" and Cheatle does not plan to step down. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also called for Cheatle's resignation on Wednesday. (More Republican National Convention stories.)

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