Assassination attempt on Trump

Head of the Secret Service admits: “We failed”

Director of the US Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle. She is sworn in here before her testimony.(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

After the attack on former President Donald Trump, emotions ran high. "How could this happen", many asked themselves. Now the head of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, admits that the service failed.

The attack was the worst failure of the Secret Service in decades: She accepts full responsibility and will do everything possible to ensure that such an incident does not happen again, Cheatle promised in a hearing in the US Congress. The Secret Service is responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians in the USA, including current and former presidents.

Just over a week ago, a gunman opened fire at a Republican Party election rally in the town of Butler in the US state of Pennsylvania and shot Trump. One visitor to the rally died and two others were wounded. Trump was injured in his right ear. The perpetrator was killed by security forces.

Donald Trump immediately after the attack(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Lots of criticism
In recent days, there had been criticism of the Secret Service's approach because the shooter was able to get onto a roof with a direct view of the stage despite all the security measures. There were also reports that the young man's behavior had already attracted the attention of security officials before Trump's appearance, but that the former president was still allowed to enter the stage.

Calls for his resignation are being made
The chairman of the oversight committee in the House of Representatives, Republican James Comer, was certain that the attack could have been prevented. Cheatle did not deserve to keep her position at the head of the authority. Meanwhile, Democratic Deputy Leader Jamie Raskin pointed out that gun attacks happened too often in America.