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Cheatle Out, Questions Remain
Director Kim Cheatle resigned last week. Questions about Secret Service failures on July 13 didn’t leave with her.
“The Secret Service must admit its failures to the nation,” demanded the Washington Post editorial board on July 20, 2024.
After the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump on July 13, questions poured in from right, left, and center. How did the shooter manage to get so close? Why weren’t Secret Service agents securing the rooftop? Why was Mr. Trump allowed to take the stage over an hour after someone was spotted acting suspiciously?
“How Security Went So Wrong at Trump’s Rally,” Matt Stieb attempted to explain for the New Yorker.
“Police snipers were inside building as Trump rally shooter fired from roof above,” wondered Carol D. Leonnig and Isaac Stanley-Becker for the Washington Post.
“Fixing the agency will take more than an investigation,” recommended the WP editorial board. “It might be time to narrow the mission.”
“Americans have become so accustomed to seeing and shaking hands with their political leaders, they often take for granted the safety risks of this grand American tradition,” mused the board. “The July 13 shooting in Butler, Pa., in which former president Donald Trump came less than an inch away from death, was a…