CHEATLE FOR YOUR OPENING
STATEMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN COMER,
RANKING MEMBER RASKIN.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY CHEATLE AND
I’M THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED
STATES SECRET SERVICE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
ON JULY 13th IS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL FAILURE
OF THE SECRET SERVICE IN
DECADES.
AND I AM KEEPING HIM AND HIS
FAMILY IN MY THOUGHTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER MY
SINCEREST CONDOLENCES TO THE
FAMILY OF COREY COMPERATORE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THOSE INJURED, DAVID DUTCH AND
JAMES COPENHAVEN AND WISH THEM
A SPEEDY RECOVERY.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT
EXTEND THE CONDOLENCES ON THE
PASSING OF YOUR COLLEAGUE
CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON
LEE.
HER PASSING IS A GREAT LOSS TO
THIS BODY.
THE SECRET SERVICE’S MISSION IS
TO PROTECT OUR NATION’S
LEADERS.
ON JULY 13th WE FAILED.
AS A DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED
STATES SECRET SERVICE I TAKE
FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY
SECURITY LAPSE OF OUR AGENCY.
WE ARE FULLY COOPERATING WITH
ON GOING INVESTIGATIONS.
I WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO
ENSURE AN INCIDENT LIKE JULY
13th DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
NOTHING I HAVE SAID SHOULD BE
INTERPRETED TO PLACE BLAME FOR
THIS FAILURE ON OUR FEDERAL,
STATE OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS WHO SUPPORTED THE
SECRET SERVICE IN BUTLER.
WE COULD NOT DO OUR JOB WITHOUT
THEM.
WE RELY ON THE RELATIONSHIPS
BUILT OVER YEARS OF WORKING
TOGETHER TO SECURE EVENTS AND
CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS.
OUR AGENTS, OFFICERS AND
SUPPORT PERSONNEL UNDERSTAND
THAT EVERY DAY WE ARE EXPECTED
TO SACRIFICE OUR LIVES TO
EXECUTE A NO FAIL MISSION.
AS WITNESSED ON JULY 13th, OUR
SPECIAL AGENTS SHIELDED FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH THEIR OWN
BODIES ON STAGE WHILE SHOTS
WERE BEING FIRED.
SELFLESSLY WILLING TO MAKE THE
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WITHOUT
HESITATION.
I AM PROUD BEYOND WORDS OF THE
ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE FORMER
PRESIDENT’S DETAIL, THE
COUNTERSNIPER TEAM AND THE
TACTICAL TEAM WHO WAS PREPARED
TO ACT.
I WILL BE TRANSPARENT AS
POSSIBLE WHEN I SPEAK WITH YOU
UNDERSTANDING THOUGH AT TIMES
THAT I MAY BE LIMITED IN
PROVIDING A THOROUGH RESPONSE
IN THIS OPEN SETTING DUE TO
ASSOCIATED RISK WITH SHARING
HIGHLY SENSITIVE PROTECTIVE
METHODOLOGIES.
I DO NOT WANT TO INADVERTENTLY
PROVIDE YOU WITH INACCURATE
INFORMATION.
SINCE JANUARY 1, 2024 THE
SECRET SERVICE HAS SUCCESSFULLY
SECURED OVER 7500 SITES.
EVERY PROTECTIVE ADVANCE COMES
WITH ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES
AND REQUIRES A CUSTOMIZED
MITIGATION STRATEGY.
SECURITY PLANS ARE
MULTILAYERED, PROVIDING 360
DEGREES OF PROTECTION.
THESE LAYERS INCLUDE PERSONNEL,
TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL ASSETS
WHICH ARE FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR
OUR PROTECTIVE POSTURE.
DURING EVERY ADVANCE WE ATTEMPT
TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN
ENABLING THE PROTECTEE TO BE
VISIBLE AND OUR PROTECTIVE
REQUIREMENTS TO BE SECURE.
I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I HAVE
SPENT 29 YEARS IN THIS AGENCY.
I CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS.
I’VE SECURED EVENTS FOR EVERY
PRESIDENT SINCE PRESIDENT
CLINTON, SUPERVISED ON VICE
PRESIDENT CHENEY’S DETAIL, LED
OUR TRAINING CENTER, OVERALL
INVESTIGATIONS AND PROTECTIVE
VISITS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA,
SUPERVISED ON VICE PRESIDENT
BIDEN’S DETAIL AND THE AGENCY’S
ENTIRE PROTECTIVE MISSION
DURING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
THE COMPREHENSIVE ADVANCE
PROCESS INVOLVES COLLABORATIVE
PLANNING BETWEEN OUR SECRET
SERVICE, THE PROTECTEES STAFF,
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS
AND THE LEVEL OF SECURITY
PROVIDED FOR THE FORMER
PRESIDENT INCREASED WELL BEFORE
THE CAMPAIGN AND HAS BEEN
STEADILY INCREASING AS THREATS
EVOLVE.
THE SECURITY PLAN INCLUDED A
FULL ASSESSMENT OF THE BUTLER
SHOW GROUNDS AND CRAFT A
SECURITY PLAN FOR THE
PROTECTEE, ATTENDEES AND THE
PUBLIC.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT I
DIRECTED THE ACTIVATION OF MY
CRISIS CENTER, I ASSEMBLED MY
EXECUTIVE TEAM TO BEGIN SURGING
MORE RESOURCES TO THE FORMER
PRESIDENT AND TO ENSURE THE
WELLNESS OF OUR PEOPLE POST
INCIDENT.
I IMMEDIATELY ORDERED A
REEVALUATION OF THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL CONVENTION SECURITY
PLAN AND I INCREASED THE
SECURITY POSTURE IN THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION FOR ALL
PERMANENT PROTECTEES AND SITES.
I INITIATED A MISSION ASSURANCE
INVESTIGATION WITHIN OUR
AGENCY.
I HAVE INSTRUCTED MY TEAM THAT
ALL NECESSARY RESOURCES WILL BE
DEDICATED TO INVESTIGATING
THESE MANNERS.
WE WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE HAVE
EXPLORED EVERY OPTION AND WE
WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I AM NOT
WAITING FOR THESE
INVESTIGATIONS TO BE COMPLETED
PRIOR TO MAKING CHANGES.
OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS WE
SUCCESSFULLY LED THE PLANNING
AND EXECUTION OF THE 75th NATO
SUMMIT AND THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL CONVENTION.
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE
WILL IMPLEMENT SECURITY PLANS
FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION, THE UNITED NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND HAVE BEGUN
PLANNING AND COORDINATING THE
2025 INAUGURATION.
IT IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF
THE SECRET SERVICE TO REMAIN
RESILIENT AND TO FOCUS ON WHAT
IS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT OUR
CRITICAL MISSION.
OUR AGENCY NEEDS TO BE
ADEQUATELY RESOURCED IN ORDER
TO SERVE OUR CURRENT MISSION
REQUIREMENTS AND ANTICIPATE
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS.
THE SECRET SERVICE CURRENTLY
PROTECTS 36 INDIVIDUALS ON A
DAILY BASIS AS WELL AS WORLD
LEADERS WHO VISIT THE UNITED
STATES LIKE ISRAELI PRIME
MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WHO
ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
TODAY.
THE COMING YEARS WILL BRING AN
UNPRECEDENTED PROTECTION TEMPO.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THE PROCESSES I
HAVE IMPLEMENTED DURING MY
TENURE, IN ADDITION TO MY
NEARLY 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
IN THIS AGENCY HAVE POSITIONED
THE SECRET SERVICE TO BE
STRONGER.
OUR MISSION IS NOT POLITICAL.
IT IS LITERALLY A MATTER OF
LIFE AND DEATH.
AND TRAGIC EVENTS ON JULY 13th
REMIND US OF THAT.
I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE