Kimberly A. Cheatle(born 1970/1971[1]) is an Americanlaw enforcement officerwho served as the 27thdirectorof theUnited States Secret Servicefrom 2022 until 2024. After serving in the Secret Service from 1995 to 2019, she worked as senior director of global security atPepsiCofrom 2019 to 2022. Appointed director of the Secret Service by PresidentJoe Biden,she assumed the office on 17 September 2022, becoming the second woman to hold the position.
Kim Cheatle | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| 27thDirector of the United States Secret Service | |
| In office September 17, 2022 – July 23, 2024 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Ronald L. Rowe Jr. |
| Preceded by | James M. Murray |
| Succeeded by | Ronald L. Rowe Jr. (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970/1971 (age 53–54) Hinsdale, Illinois,U.S. |
| Education | Eastern Illinois University(BA) |
| Awards | Presidential Rank Award(2021) |
Following theattempted assassination of Donald Trumpat a campaign rally on July 13, 2024, the Secret Service was widely criticized over security lapses. On July 22, Cheatle testified before theUnited 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 directorRonald L. Rowe Jr.
Early life and education
editCheatle was born inHinsdale, Illinois,and grew up inDanville, Illinois.[2]She completed her undergraduate studies atEastern Illinois Universitywith a major insociologyand a concentration incriminal justice.[3]
Career
editCheatle joined the United States Secret Service in 1995.[4]She was involved in the evacuation ofVice President of the United StatesDick Cheneyduring theSeptember 11 attacksand served on Joe Biden's protective detail during theObama administration,when she was assigned to the Vice Presidential Protective Division.[5]In 2017 and 2018, she served as deputy assistant director. She served[when?]as special-agent-in-charge in theGrand Rapids, Michiganoffice. She became[when?]the first woman to serve as assistant director of Protective Operations, a unit tasked with protection of thePresident of the United Statesanddignitaries.[6]
From 2019 to 2022, Cheatle served as senior director of global security atPepsiCo.[7][8]
In 2021, President Joe Biden awarded Cheatle aPresidential Rank Awardfor 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 toldCBS Newsthe 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 PresidentKamala Harris's detail attacked her superior officer and other agents,[15] United States House Committee on Oversight and AccountabilityChairmanJames Comerrequested 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.[16][17]Cheatle's previous statements regardingdiversity, equity, and inclusionbecame a frequent target for criticism by commentators after theattempted assassination of Donald Trump.[18][19][20][21]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. "[22]
Attempted assassination of Donald Trump
editOn July 13, 2024, during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump inButler, Pennsylvania,Cheatle was inMilwaukee, Wisconsin,where the2024 Republican National Conventionwas 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 toldABC Newsthat she would not resign from her position[23]and defended herself by saying that local law enforcement had been responsible for securing the building from which the shooter launched his attack.[24][25]
On July 20, 2024, CongressmanBrendan Boyle(D-PA) called on Cheatle to resign in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump, making him the first congressionalDemocratto do so.[26]Earlier, House SpeakerMike Johnsoncalled on Cheatle to resign, and Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnellcalled for new leadership at the agency on the same day.[27]
On July 22, 2024, Cheatle testified before theUnited States House Committee on Oversight and Accountabilityabout the assassination attempt.[28]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. Her testimony was condemned by House members of both parties for being evasive and uninformative.[29]At one point, Cheatle's answer to a question byMarjorie Taylor Greenewas so uninformative that members of the audience in the hearing room laughed at her.[30]However, she pledged not to resign.[31][32][33]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.[34][35]
Cheatle resigned from her position as the director of the Secret Service on July 23, 2024.[36][37]Because she received ongoing threats, she was assigned her own security detail.[38]
References
edit- ^Balk, Tim (July 18, 2024)."What to Know About Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service Director".The New York Times.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Goudie, Chuck;Markoff, Barb; Tressel, Christine; Jones, Tom (May 2, 2024)."Chicago DNC 2024 will be a homecoming for the Director of the US Secret Service".WLS-TV.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Hardy, Cam'ron."From Eastern alum to director of the Secret Service".The Daily Eastern News.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Shein, Maggie (July 1, 2022)."Kimberly Cheatle, Senior Director – Global Security at PepsiCo".Security Magazine.
- ^"Women in Security 2022: Kimberly Cheatle, PepsiCo | Security Magazine".securitymagazine.RetrievedAugust 25,2022.
- ^"Biden names new Secret Service director amid Jan. 6 scrutiny".AP News.August 24, 2022.
- ^"Statement from President Biden on the Appointment of Kimberly Cheatle to be the Next Director of the United States Secret Service".The White House.August 24, 2022.RetrievedAugust 25,2022.
- ^Greene, Shayna (August 24, 2022)."Biden announces new head of Secret Service".POLITICO.RetrievedAugust 25,2022.
- ^Shear, Michael D. (August 24, 2022)."Biden Names Kim Cheatle to Lead Secret Service".The New York Times.
- ^"Statement from President Biden on the Appointment of Kimberly Cheatle to be the Next Director of the United States Secret Service".The White House.Executive Office of the President of the United States. August 24, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 20,2022.
- ^"Director Kimberly A. Cheatle".United States Secret Service.RetrievedSeptember 20,2022.
- ^Shear, Michael D. (August 24, 2022)."Biden Names Kim Cheatle to Lead Secret Service".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedAugust 6,2024.
- ^Corse, Alexa (August 24, 2022)."Secret Service Veteran Kimberly Cheatle Named as New Director".The Wall Street Journal.
- ^Diaz, Adriana; Novak, Analisa; Triay, Andres (May 18, 2023)."Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle addresses controversies, challenges facing the agency - CBS News".cbsnews.RetrievedJuly 15,2024.
- ^"Secret Service officer who fought colleagues while assigned to Kamala Harris once sued Dallas for $1M, claiming gender bias".April 25, 2024.RetrievedSeptember 26,2024.
- ^"Comer Requests Briefing from U.S. Secret Service After Incidents Linked to 'Inadequate Training'".Committee on Oversight and Accountability.May 30, 2024.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Lebowitz, Megan (April 25, 2024)."Secret Service removes agent from Kamala Harris' detail after 'distressing' behavior".NBC News.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Ewe, Koh (July 15, 2024)."Critics Blame 'DEI' for Trump's Shooting".TIME.Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2024.RetrievedJuly 18,2024.
- ^"Secret Service says it's appalled by DEI rhetoric against female agents after Trump rally shooting".NBC News.July 18, 2024.Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2024.RetrievedJuly 18,2024.
- ^Lorenz, Taylor; Nix, Naomi; Tiku, Nitasha (July 16, 2024)."Right-wing influencers use Trump assassination attempt to attack DEI".Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2024.RetrievedJuly 18,2024.
- ^Edmondson, Catie (July 16, 2024)."After Trump Assassination Attempt, Right Points Finger at Female Agents".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2024.RetrievedJuly 18,2024.
- ^Ingram, David; Bunn, Curtis (July 17, 2024)."Secret Service says it's appalled by DEI rhetoric against female agents after Trump rally shooting".NBC News.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Reinstein, Julia; Barr, Luke; Owen, Quinn; Mallin, Alexander; Date, Jack (July 15, 2024)."ABC Exclusive: Trump rally shooting 'unacceptable,' Secret Service director says".ABC News.RetrievedJuly 16,2024.
- ^"Secret Service Director Suggests Roof Used by Shooter Was Too Dangerous for Agents to Stand On".National Review.July 16, 2024.RetrievedJuly 17,2024.
- ^Smith, Jennifer (July 17, 2024).Secret Service director asked if Trump rally perimeter was too small. Hear her response | CNN Politics.RetrievedJuly 17,2024– via cnn.
- ^Suter, Tara (July 20, 2024)."Democratic rep calls for Secret Service director to resign after Trump rally shooting".The Hill.RetrievedJuly 21,2024.
- ^Suter, Tara (July 17, 2024)."McConnell calls for new leadership of Secret Service".The Hill.RetrievedJuly 21,2024.
- ^"Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle faces grilling over Trump shooting".bbc.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^"Hearing Highlights: Secret Service Chief Pummeled by Lawmakers Who Called for Her Resignation".RetrievedNovember 15,2024.
- ^"Congress calls for Secret Service Boss to resign for 'failed' Trump rally security".BBC News.RetrievedNovember 15,2024.
- ^Broadwater, Luke (July 22, 2024)."Live Updates: Secret Service Chief Testifies on 'Failed' Response at Trump Rally".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^"Takeaways from the House hearing with Secret Service Director Cheatle on the Trump assassination attempt".CNN.July 22, 2024.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Barber, C. Ryan; Gurman, Sadie (July 22, 2024)."Secret Service Director's Testimony Sparks Bipartisan Calls for Her Resignation".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^Chan, Melissa (July 22, 2024)."House committee skewers Secret Service director for not answering major questions on Trump assassination attempt".NBC News.RetrievedJuly 22,2024.
- ^"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".United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.July 23, 2024.
- ^Barr, Luke; Katersky, Aaron; Reinstein, Julia (July 23, 2024)."Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns".ABC News.RetrievedJuly 23,2024.
- ^Aleaziz, Hamed; Kanno-Youngs, Zolan; Kelly, Kate (July 23, 2024)."Secret Service Director Resigns After Trump Assassination Attempt".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Archivedfrom the original on July 23, 2024.RetrievedJuly 23,2024.
- ^Wild, Whitney; Lybrand, Holmes (August 16, 2024)."Former Secret Service director assigned security detail amid threats after Trump shooting".CNN.RetrievedAugust 16,2024.