“Go back to guarding Doritos!” Secret Service Director faces US lawmakers, submits resignation
BY: Kartya Vucetic
MAIN IMAGE: GETTY
The US Director of Secret Services, Kimberly Cheatle, has submitted her resignation overnight in Australia. This comes in response to the wrath she faced at the hands of US lawmakers on Monday in the US. The official enquiry looked further into the Secret Service’s conduct during Trump’s Pennsylvania rally last week, which ended in two people losing their lives, and Trump facing an attempted assassination.
“Go back to guarding Doritos!” Representative Pat Fallon shouted at her only hours before she inevitably resigned. (What’s all that about you might ask. Well Cheatle used to be a top security official at Pepsi Co the owner of Doritos. Harsh but funny)
To say the enquiry didn’t quite go to plan would be an understatement. Cheatle opened her statement to the panel saying she was honoured to be there. Safe to say this immediately fell flat, as she had been subpoenaed to appear only five days before.
The grilling only intensified as Cheatle continued to dodge questions relating to the security processes undertaken during the rally. Rather than taking accountability for some of the gross negligence which had occurred on the day, the Director blamed lack of funding of the Secret Service in making it difficult to perform their duties.
This year, the US Department of Homeland Security afforded the Secret Service US$3.1 billion for the fiscal year. This was US$265 million more than they were granted last year.
For perspective, Australia’s equivalent, ASIO, will receive approximately US$394 million in funding for 2024-25. This was a US$39 million increase from last year’s budget, and was perceived to be particularly generous.
Regardless of one’s political alignment, the obvious failures of the US Secret Service have resonated across the country. Many have come to pose theories that the USSS conspired to allow the attack, or, at the very least, are liable enough to be regarded as an accomplice to it.
There are just over 100 days until the election, and it’s safe to say the US better strap in.
