Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is slated to testify before the House Oversight Committee next week as part of Congress' effort to get answers following Saturday's attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Titled "Oversight of the U.S. Secret Service and the Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump," the hearing, scheduled for July 22, will examine how security lapses led to a would-be assassin accessing a rooftop within firing range of Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others," Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement. "We are grateful to the brave Secret Service agents who acted quickly to protect President Trump after shots were fired and the American patriots who sought to help victims, but questions remain about how a rooftop within proximity to President Trump was left unsecure.
"Americans demand answers from Director Kimberly Cheatle about these security lapses and how we can prevent this from happening again," Comer added.
According to a press release, the hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building and will be open to the public as well as livestreamed online.
Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., told Newsmax earlier on Monday that Cheatle will have a lot to answer for when she appears before Congress, including "why this occurred, who was in charge, what is the general plan" to provide full protection, and "how could something in the line of sight and within shooting distance of the president be so open," referring to the building rooftop from which the shooter fired his rifle.
The Pennsylvania Republican was sitting in the front row at the rally and witnessed the attempt on Trump's life, saying he saw the former president grab the side of his head and "hit the deck."
"We didn't know how badly he was hit and then the crowd was very upset, crying, screaming, you name it," Meuser said. "But I tell you what: When Trump stood up and gave that fist pump and he had blood on his face and gave a thumbs-up," it electrified the crowd.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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