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| United Sates Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on July 22 in Washington, DC. |
Good morning, Chairman Comer, Ranking Member Raskin, and distinguished members of the Committee.
I am Kimberly Cheatle, Director of the United States Secret Service. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Last week, I briefed both chambers of Congress, and I'm here to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
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The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13th marks the most significant operational failure for the Secret Service in decades. My thoughts are with him and his family. I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief and hero, who lost his life in this senseless shooting. I also wish a swift recovery to those injured in Butler, Pennsylvania, David Dutch and James Copenhaven.
I would also like to express my condolences on the passing of your colleague, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Her engagement in the oversight of the Secret Service will be greatly missed
Our mission at the Secret Service is to protect our nation's leaders. On July 13th, we failed. As the Director, I take full responsibility for any security lapses. We are cooperating fully with the FBI's investigation, your oversight, and conducting our own internal review. We will also cooperate with the pending external review and the DHS Office of the Inspector General.
We must learn from this incident and ensure it never happens again. The Secret Service currently protects 36 individuals daily, as well as visiting world leaders like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington today.
Let me state unequivocally: the failure should not be attributed to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who supported us in Butler, Pennsylvania. We couldn't do our job without them.
An assassination attempt is a nightmare for the men and women of the Secret Service, who work tirelessly to prevent such attacks. Our agents shielded former President Trump with their own bodies during the shooting, demonstrating their dedication and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice. I am incredibly proud of their actions, as well as the counter-sniper team that neutralized the gunman and the tactical team that provided cover during the evacuation.
I will be as transparent as possible, though I may be limited in providing detailed responses in this open setting due to the risks of sharing highly sensitive protective methodologies. With multiple ongoing investigations, hundreds of interviews, and thousands of documents to review, I aim to avoid providing inaccurate information.
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Since January 1, 2024, we have successfully secured over 7,500 sites. Each event presents unique challenges and requires a customized security plan. Our approach balances visibility for the protectee with our protective requirements.
I have spent 29 years with the Secret Service, securing events for every president since President Clinton, supervising details for VP Cheney and VP Biden, leading our training center, overseeing investigations and protective visits in Georgia, and managing the entire protective mission during the Trump Administration.
The comprehensive advance process involves collaboration between the Secret Service, the protectee's staff, and local law enforcement. Planning for the July 13th event began on July 3. The security plan included a full assessment of the Butler Farm showgrounds and crafted a security strategy for the protectee, attendees, and the public.
The Secret Service's security plan consisted of three concentric rings of protection, supported by our law enforcement partners. These layers include personnel, technical, and tactical assets.
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We rely on partnerships with DoD for moving assets and local partners for securing motorcade routes. Our tactical assets include Counter Snipers, Counter Surveillance, Counter Assault, K-9, Technical Security personnel, and Intelligence teams, all working together to ensure security.
Following the assassination attempt, I activated the Crisis Center, increased protective resources for the former President, ensured the wellness of our personnel, and secured the active crime scene. We also re-evaluated the security plan for the Republican National Convention and increased security in the National Capital Region.
We are dedicating all necessary resources to these investigations and will make changes as needed. Our hiring process is highly competitive, and I am proud of the net gain of over 200 special agents this year.
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In the past two weeks, we successfully planned and executed the 75th NATO Summit and the Republican National Convention. We are now preparing for the Democratic National Convention, the UN General Assembly, and the 2025 Inauguration.
Our mission is not political; it is a matter of life and death. I have full confidence in the men and women of the Secret Service, and they deserve our support.
Chairman Comer, Ranking Member Raskin, and members of the Committee, I am ready to answer your questions.
