MILWAUKEE (LifeSiteNews) — GOP senators chased after Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle on Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention, demanding answers concerning her agency’s epic failure to protect former president Donald Trump and others during Saturday’s assassination attempt when one man died.
“This was an assassination attempt!” shouted Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, running after the unresponsive Cheatle as she and her entourage sought to escape the Republican lawmakers’ questions. “You owe the people answers! You owe President Trump answers!”
🚨FULL VIDEO: Secret Service Director REFUSES to answer to the American people. pic.twitter.com/MPVOke5zhY
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) July 18, 2024
Resignation or full explanation right now
In what began as a scrum in a luxury suite at the convention arena where the Secret Service head was taking in the festivities, Sen. Blackburn, along with Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, James Lankford of Oklahoma and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, cornered the clearly uncomfortable, stone-faced Cheatle.
“We’re very disappointed in your leadership” Barrasso began before demanding that she start answering questions “right now about the death threats to President Trump and allowing him to go on stage … and put him within less than an inch of his life.”
“So, resignation or full explanation to us right now!” insisted the Wyoming senator, who serves as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
“You knew an hour out” about the potential threat, Blackburn added.
“I don’t think this is the forum to have this discussion,” said Cheatle, looking as if she wanted to be anywhere else on the planet. As she excused herself from the conversation and began to scamper away, the Senators objected, saying, “No! No! … we’re going with you!” and took off after her.
While in hot pursuit of Cheatle, Barrasso can be heard accusing her, “No shame! No concern! You’re supposed to be protecting the President of the United States.”
“You’re stonewalling!” another in the group was heard to say.
“You owe the people answers. You owe President Trump answers,” Blackburn said as Cheatle turned and scurried up an escalator.
“You cannot run away from your responsibility to the people of the United States,” a now even more emphatic Barrasso yelled. “You’re the head of the Secret Service. You owe answers to the Senate, to the House, to the President, to the past President.”
Cheatle and her crew then quickly vanished into a room. The GOP lawmakers were barred from entering by a Secret Service agent.
In a subsequent video posted to X, Barrasso explained, “Senator Blackburn and I just went face to face with the director of the Secret Service, asking for specific answers about what happened with President Trump in Pennsylvania and how that shooter was able to get off a clear shot when the FBI and Secret Service knew that there was a suspicious person an hour in advance of when the shooting occurred.”
“She would not answer our questions,” said Blackburn, adding, “She can run, but she cannot hide because the American people want to know how an assassination attempt was carried out on former President Donald Trump.”
BREAKING: We just confronted the Secret Service Director at the RNC Convention.
She can run, but she can’t hide from accountability. pic.twitter.com/i7NUIpGeLC
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) July 18, 2024
A spokesperson for the Secret Service later said that Cheatle has no intention of resigning as head of the agency.
“She deeply respects members of Congress and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews,” the spokesperson said.