House Committee Chief Green Asks Why Wasn't Donald Trump Moved To A Secure Location Post Attack

Washington: Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Congressman Mark Green (Republican) on the second day of Congressional hearings over the US Secret Service oversights in the attempted assassination of former President of the US Donald Trump raised questions over why wasn't the latter moved to a secure location after Thomas Matthew Crooks allegedly tried to assassinate him.

Green's response came after Kimberly Cheatle, Director of Secret Service was grilled before a bipartisan group of lawmakers a day before.

Green said, "Why wasn't Trump moved to a secure location until the Secret Service could investigate after the assassination attempt?"

He added that the shooter visited the rally site multiple times before the actual rally and said that reports indicated that Crooks even flew a drone on a reconnaissance trip to the rally site on the day of the attack. Green asked, “Why wasn't the site secure?”

Cheatle, amid growing calls to step down, resigned as the Director a day after she claimed full responsibility for Trump's security lapse.

Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, in an email stated, “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”

Cheatle's departure was unlikely to end the scrutiny of the long-troubled agency after the failures of July 13, and it comes at a critical juncture ahead of the Democratic National Convention and a busy presidential campaign season.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have promised a continued investigation, along with an inspector general probe and an independent and bipartisan effort launched at President Joe Biden's behest that will keep the agency in the spotlight.

Cheatle called the attempt on Trump's life the Secret Service's “most significant operational failure” in decades and said she took full responsibility for the security lapses, but she angered lawmakers by failing to answer specific questions about the investigation.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement, “We all know what happened that day can never happen again.”

He said he'd appoint a new director soon, but he did not discuss a timeline.

The president said he was grateful to Cheatle for her decades of public service.

“We especially thank her for answering the call to lead the Secret Service during our administration and we are grateful for her service to our family,” Biden said.

(with AP inputs)