U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told the U.S. House Oversight Committee Monday that the shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump had been identified as “suspicious” before the shooting.
Cheatle largely dodged or avoided answering any direct questions from either Democrats or Republicans at the hearing Monday, including questions about whether a Secret Service agent was on the roof where the shot was taken and whether the Trump campaign’s repeated requests for more security had been denied.
“I’m not going to get into details of the day itself…” Cheatle said before refusing to say whether drones were used by Secret Service on the day of the shooting.
She did say the FBI told the Secret Service the shooter used a drone the day of the shooting.
She would also not say how many agents were assigned to Trump that day.
However, when asked to confirm media reports that the shooter had been identified by the security team as a suspicious individual prior to Trump taking the stage, Cheatle said that was true.
She went on to explain that there is a difference between someone being a “threat” and being “suspicious,” a less serious designation that would be investigated by the Secret Service.
Cheatle said she had spoken with the counter sniper who killed the shooter but would not reveal any details.
House Judiciary Chair Rep. James Jordan, R-Ky., grilled Cheatle at the hearing about whether the Trump campaign’s previous requests for more protection had been denied.
Jordan pointed to a Secret Service spokesperson’s statement that said the Secret Service had denied “some” of those requests in the past.
Cheatle would not answer questions about those requests, but she did say that no requests were denied for the event in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where the assassination attempt occurred.
That shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, climbed a rooftop about 150 yards from the president and shot him in the ear with a direct line of sight. Viral videos online have shown that attendees at the rally spotted the shooter on the roof with a gun and tried to warn law enforcement well before the shooting happened.
“The Secret Service has thousands of employees and a significant budget, but it has now become the face of incompetence,” House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky, said at the hearing.
During her testimony, Cheatle took “full responsibility” for the security failure but would not answer many of the most pressing questions at the hearing, repeatedly saying they are only “nine days out” from the shooting and that investigations are
“You know what it looks like, Director?” Jordan asked Cheatle at the hearing. “It looks like you won’t answer some pretty basic questions. It looks like you got a 9% raise and that you cut corners when it came to protecting one of the most important, one of the most well-known individuals on the planet, a former president, likely the guy who is going to be the next president. Looks like you guys were cutting corners. That’s what it looks like to me”
Cheatle responded, saying “I’m here because I want to answer questions…”
Jordan cut her off, saying, “You may want to, but I don’t think you’ve answered one question from the Chairman, the Ranking Member or me.”
Cheatle’s lack of answers immediately sparked criticism.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., was among the most aggressive questioners of Cheatle at the hearing.
“Would you like to use my five minutes to draft your resignation letter?” she asked, one of several members to bring up Cheatle resigning.
Mace, like other lawmakers, expressed frustration at Cheatle for refusing to answer specific questions.
“You’re full of sh*t today,” Mace said. “You’re just being completely dishonest.”
