Kimberly Cheatle Explained

Kimberly Cheatle
Office:27th Director of the United States Secret Service
President:Joe Biden
Term Start:September 17, 2022
Term End:July 23, 2024
Predecessor:James M. Murray
Successor:Ronald L. Rowe Jr. (acting)
Birth Place:Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S.
Education:Eastern Illinois University (BA)
Awards:Presidential Rank Award (2021)

Kimberly A. Cheatle (born [1]) is an American former law enforcement officer who served as the 27th director of the United States Secret Service from 2022 until 2024. After serving in the Secret Service from 1995 to 2019, she worked as senior director of global security at PepsiCo from 2019 to 2022. Appointed director of the Secret Service by President Joe Biden, she assumed the office on 17 September 2022, becoming the second woman to hold the position.

Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally on July 13, 2024, the Secret Service was widely criticized over security lapses. On July 22, Cheatle testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, where she faced bipartisan calls for her resignation. She resigned on July 23 and was succeeded by acting director Ronald L. Rowe Jr.

Early life and education

Cheatle was born in Hinsdale, Illinois, and grew up in Danville, Illinois.[2] She completed her undergraduate studies at Eastern Illinois University with a major in sociology and a concentration in criminal justice.[3]

Career

Cheatle joined the United States Secret Service in 1995.[4] She was involved in the evacuation of Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney during the September 11 attacks and served on Joe Biden's protective detail during the Obama administration, when she was assigned to the Vice Presidential Protective Division.[5] In 2017 and 2018, she served as deputy assistant director. She served as special-agent-in-charge in the Grand Rapids, Michigan office. She became the first woman to serve as assistant director of Protective Operations, a unit tasked with protection of the President of the United States and dignitaries.[6]

From 2019 to 2022, Cheatle served as senior director of global security at PepsiCo.[7] [8]

In 2021, President Joe Biden awarded Cheatle a Presidential Rank Award for exceptional performance.[9] In August 2022, President Biden announced the appointment of Cheatle as director of the United States Secret Service,[10] and she assumed office on September 17, 2022.[11] She was the second woman to hold the position.[12] Cheatle took over the Secret Service following "a turbulent couple of months in which the agency best known for protecting presidents has faced controversies related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol."[13]

In 2023, Cheatle told CBS News the agency needed to "attract diverse candidates and give opportunities to everybody in the workforce, particularly women," outlining her goal that by 2030, thirty percent of its recruits would be female.[14]

In April 2024, after a female agent on Vice President Kamala Harris's detail attacked her superior officer and other agents, United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer requested a briefing with Cheatle to address issues regarding hiring, training and disciplinary processes. The Secret Service downplayed reports of a petition circulating within the agency alleging security vulnerabilities arising from these processes.[15] [16] Cheatle's previous statements regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion became a frequent target for criticism by commentators after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.[17] [18] [19] [20] The Secret Service called criticism of female agents "misogynistic" and reaffirmed its belief where diversity in recruiting was "helping, not hurting, the effectiveness of its protective teams."[21]

Attempted assassination of Donald Trump

See main article: Attempted assassination of Donald Trump. On July 13, 2024, during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Cheatle was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the 2024 Republican National Convention was due to commence in two days. In the wake of the shooting and criticism of her leadership, Cheatle acknowledged the failure of the Secret Service, calling it "unacceptable." However, Cheatle told ABC News that she would not resign from her position[22] and defended herself by saying that local law enforcement had been responsible for securing the building from which the shooter launched his attack.[23] [24]

On July 20, 2024, Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA) called on Cheatle to resign in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump, making him the first congressional Democrat to do so.[25] Earlier, House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Cheatle to resign, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called for new leadership at the agency on the same day.[26]

On July 22, 2024, Cheatle testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability about the assassination attempt.[27] During the hearing, she acknowledged it was "the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades" and faced a bipartisan chorus of lawmakers calling for her to resign. However, she pledged not to resign.[28] [29] [30] Cheatle also declined to answer questions about whether the Secret Service had rebuffed requests for additional resources for Trump's security detail in the two years leading up to the assassination attempt; the week prior an agency spokesman denied that any such requests had been turned down.[31] [32]

Cheatle resigned from her position as the director of the Secret Service on July 23, 2024.[33] [34] Because she received ongoing threats, she was assigned her own security detail.[35]

Notes and References

  1. News: Balk . Tim . What to Know About Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service Director . July 22, 2024 . . July 18, 2024.
  2. Web site: Chicago DNC 2024 will be homecoming for US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who grew up in suburbs, attended EIU abc7chicago.com . July 22, 2024 . abc7chicago.com.
  3. Web site: Hardy . Cam'ron . From Eastern alum to director of the Secret Service . July 22, 2024 . The Daily Eastern News.
  4. Web site: Security Magazine. Kimberly Cheatle, Senior Director – Global Security at PepsiCo. July 1, 2022. Maggie. Shein.
  5. Web site: Women in Security 2022: Kimberly Cheatle, PepsiCo Security Magazine . August 25, 2022 . www.securitymagazine.com . en.
  6. News: August 24, 2022 . Biden names new Secret Service director amid Jan. 6 scrutiny . AP News.
  7. Web site: August 24, 2022 . Statement from President Biden on the Appointment of Kimberly Cheatle to be the Next Director of the United States Secret Service . August 25, 2022 . The White House . en-US.
  8. Web site: Greene . Shayna . Biden announces new head of Secret Service . August 25, 2022 . POLITICO . August 24, 2022 . en.
  9. News: The New York Times. Biden Names Kim Cheatle to Lead Secret Service. Michael D.. Shear. August 24, 2022.
  10. Web site: Statement from President Biden on the Appointment of Kimberly Cheatle to be the Next Director of the United States Secret Service . August 24, 2022 . The White House . Executive Office of the President of the United States . September 20, 2022.
  11. Web site: Director Kimberly A. Cheatle . September 20, 2022 . .
  12. News: Shear . Michael D. . 2022-08-24 . Biden Names Kim Cheatle to Lead Secret Service . 2024-08-06 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  13. News: The Wall Street Journal. Secret Service Veteran Kimberly Cheatle Named as New Director. Alexa. Corse. August 24, 2022.
  14. Web site: Diaz . Adriana . Novak . Analisa . Triay . Andres . May 18, 2023 . Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle addresses controversies, challenges facing the agency - CBS News . July 15, 2024 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  15. Web site: Comer Requests Briefing from U.S. Secret Service After Incidents Linked to 'Inadequate Training'. Committee on Oversight and Accountability. May 30, 2024. July 22, 2024.
  16. News: Secret Service removes agent from Kamala Harris' detail after 'distressing' behavior. NBC News. Megan. Lebowitz. April 25, 2024. July 22, 2024.
  17. Ewe . Koh . Critics Blame 'DEI' for Trump's Shooting . TIME . July 15, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240718065349/https://time.com/6998539/trump-shooting-republicans-blame-dei-secret-service-women/ . July 18, 2024 . live . July 18, 2024 .
  18. Web site: Secret Service says it's appalled by DEI rhetoric against female agents after Trump rally shooting . NBC News . July 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240718043301/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/secret-service-condemns-backlash-against-women-agents-rcna161928 . July 18, 2024 . live . July 18, 2024 .
  19. News: Lorenz . Taylor . Nix . Naomi . Tiku . Nitasha . Right-wing influencers use Trump assassination attempt to attack DEI . Washington Post . July 16, 2024 . July 18, 2024. https://archive.today/20240718064817/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/07/16/trump-dei-female-secret-service-assassination-attempt/ . July 18, 2024.
  20. Web site: Edmondson . Catie . After Trump Assassination Attempt, Right Points Finger at Female Agents . . July 16, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240718065642/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/us/politics/secret-service-female-agents.html . July 18, 2024 . dead . July 18, 2024 .
  21. News: Secret Service says it's appalled by DEI rhetoric against female agents after Trump rally shooting. NBC News. David. Ingram. Curtis. Bunn. July 17, 2024. July 22, 2024.
  22. News: Reinstein . Julia . Barr . Luke . Owen . Quinn . Mallin . Alexander . Date . Jack . ABC Exclusive: Trump rally shooting 'unacceptable,' Secret Service director says . July 16, 2024 . ABC News . July 15, 2024 . en.
  23. Web site: July 16, 2024 . Secret Service Director Suggests Roof Used by Shooter Was Too Dangerous for Agents to Stand On . July 17, 2024 . National Review . en-US.
  24. Secret Service director asked if Trump rally perimeter was too small. Hear her response CNN Politics . July 17, 2024 . Smith . Jennifer . en . July 17, 2024 . www.cnn.com.
  25. News: Democratic rep calls for Secret Service director to resign after Trump rally shooting. The Hill. Tara. Suter. July 20, 2024. July 21, 2024.
  26. News: McConnell calls for new leadership of Secret Service. The Hill. Tara. Suter. July 17, 2024. July 21, 2024.
  27. Web site: Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle faces grilling over Trump shooting . July 22, 2024 . www.bbc.com . en-GB.
  28. News: Broadwater . Luke . July 22, 2024 . Live Updates: Secret Service Chief Testifies on 'Failed' Response at Trump Rally . July 22, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  29. News: Takeaways from the House hearing with Secret Service Director Cheatle on the Trump assassination attempt . July 22, 2024 . . July 22, 2024.
  30. News: Secret Service Director's Testimony Sparks Bipartisan Calls for Her Resignation. The Wall Street Journal. C. Ryan. Barber. Sadie. Gurman. July 22, 2024. July 22, 2024.
  31. News: House committee skewers Secret Service director for not answering major questions on Trump assassination attempt. NBC News. Melissa. Chan. July 22, 2024. July 22, 2024.
  32. Web site: Hearing Wrap Up: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle Fails to Answer Basic Questions and Must Resign Following Historic Security Failures at President Trump's Rally. July 23, 2024. United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
  33. Web site: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns. Luke. Barr. Aaron. Katersky. Julia. Reinstein . ABC News . July 23, 2024. July 23, 2024.
  34. News: Aleaziz . Hamed . Kanno-Youngs . Zolan . Kelly . Kate . July 23, 2024 . Secret Service Director Resigns After Trump Assassination Attempt . live . https://archive.today/20240723144357/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/23/us/politics/cheatle-secret-service-director-resigns.html . July 23, 2024 . July 23, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  35. Web site: Wild . Whitney . Lybrand . Holmes . 2024-08-16 . Former Secret Service director assigned security detail amid threats after Trump shooting . 2024-08-16 . CNN . en.

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