Who is the head of the Secret Service? What to know about Kimberly Cheatle

Hours after a shooter attempted to assassinate former president Donald Trump during a rally on Saturday, experts have called into question the actions taken by the Secret Service and who is calling the shots. 

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, the 27th director of the United States Secret Service (USSS), was appointed by President Biden to lead the Secret Service in 2022, making her only the second woman ever in history to lead the agency.

"That achievement in a male-dominated industry was not lost on me," Cheatle said in a 2022 Security Magazine article about "Women in Security." "I kept a photo on my desk of the first five women sworn into the service, and I used that to remind me that these women created opportunities for me and I can help others grow and lead as well."

According to the USSS agency website, Cheatle is responsible for executing the agency’s integrated mission of "protection and investigations by leading a diverse workforce."

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Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle at a press conference on June 4 in Chicago. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Cheatle has received backlash from many politicians and people across the country in the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump. Many have called on her to resign or be fired, claiming she is more focused on diversity and inclusion than focusing on her role.

"Instead of focusing on keeping our leaders like Trump safe, she’s more worried about diversity and hiring more women. She should be fired and investigated immediately. This is a national security risk," Benny Johnson, a media personality, wrote in a post on X.

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"THE HOUSE WILL CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS TODAY. The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP," House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote following Saturday's attack on Trump.

"I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing. The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon," Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., wrote in a statement on X.

"Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle should be suspended immediately," Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House commented on X following the attack on Trump.

Cheatle first joined the USSS in 1995, but she retired in late 2019. While serving in the USSS, she was a member of the VP Protective Detail during the Obama administration, which brought her into direct contact with the Bidens, according to Bill Shipley, a former federal prosecutor who represents people involved with January 6 pro bono.

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Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is expected to take a proactive role in addressing security issues in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Trump on Saturday. (United States Secret Service)

"Jill and I know firsthand Kim’s commitment to her job and to the Secret Service’s people and mission. When Kim served on my security detail when I was Vice President, we came to trust her judgment and counsel," Biden said in a previous statement in 2022. "She has my complete trust, and I look forward to working with her."

After Trump was elected president, Cheatle moved to Deputy Assistant Director of USSS for Training, and later Assistant Director for Protective Operations, the position she held when she retired in 2019.

Following her retirement from the USSS, Cheatle served as Senior Director of Global Security at PepsiCo, where she was responsible for directing and implementing security protocols for the company's facilities in North America. Her role at PepsiCo involved developing risk management assessment and risk mitigation strategies.