Amid widespread speculation of underperformance following Saturday’s attempted assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the director of the U.S. Secret Service has released a statement to try to reassure Americans before the start of the Republican National Convention.
The statement, released Monday by Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, said the agency had things under control on Saturday and will continue its diligence in protecting the former president.
“Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump,” Cheatle said in the statement. “Since the shooting, I have been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. I have also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and have briefed President Biden on the details of the incident.”
Cheatle said the Secret Service is working with all involved federal, state and local agencies to understand the assassination, how it happened and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again.
“We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden yesterday and will participate fully,” Cheatle added. “We will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action.”
According to Cheatle, the Pennsylvania assassination attempt has led to many questions about Trump’s security—and the security of others—as the Republican National Convention kicks off this evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“The U.S. Secret Service, in conjunction with our federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners, designs operational security plans for National Special Security Events to be dynamic in order to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence from our partners,” she said. “I am confident in the security plan our Secret Service RNC coordinator and our partners have put in place, which we have reviewed and strengthened in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. The security plans for National Special Security Events are designed to be flexible. As the conventions progress, and in accordance with the direction of the president, the Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary in order to ensure the highest level of safety and security for convention attendees, volunteers and the City of Milwaukee.”
The attempt on Trump’s life in Pennsylvania has many convention attendees understandably more worried about safety than they likely would have been before Saturday’s shooting. But Cheatle says her agency has their backs.
“In addition to the additional security enhancements we provided former President Trump’s detail in June, we have also implemented changes to his security detail since Saturday to ensure his continued protection for the convention and the remainder of the campaign,” she concluded. “The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy. It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission.”
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