If it wasn’t enough for the “Woke Mob” to come for Star Wars, Grand Theft Auto, and the NFL, it’s now, according to conservatives, diluted the Secret Service. In the wake of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, some Republicans are saying that the DEI agenda almost got the former president killed. Contrary to the popular conspiracy theory going around, it’s not because the Secret Service set up the attack, rather, it’s because it allowed women to join its ranks.
Why does MAGA think there shouldn’t female Secret Service agents?
After the attempted assassination attempt on former President Trump, certain MAGA-stans are crying for the Secret Service to cull its DEI-increased ranks. The diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives being implemented by many organizations to crack down on discrimination based on gender, sex, race, and religion among other things, is a frequent talking point for the right. Online trolls have heavily criticized the movement for ruining countless franchises with “woke” inclusions of characters of color, women, and LGBTQIA+ representation, and now they “see” its ripple effects in the shooting.
Millions of X.com users are claiming that “DEI got someone killed,” and are placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the few female officers on the scene – and Secret Service director Kim Cheatle.
The pictures and video from the event show at least three separate female officers dotted among the numerous male agents. As shots are fired, at least one female officer rushes to the politician’s aid, while another – according to X’s armchair experts – tries to hide.
The images of the president being led from the stage show one female officer helping to heft Trump down the steps as multiple male agents shield him with their bodies. Despite the female agent doing ostensibly just as much as her male coworkers, she’s given zero praise. That in and of itself isn’t a problem, but her involvement is completely overlooked to feed the trolls’ narrative of incompetence.
Notorious political sewer drain Candace Owens used her YouTube platform to jump on the hate train. While she “meant no disrespect” the gender traitor felt the need to blame the few Secret Service women there that day for the “failure” to protect the president. “When it comes to the responsibility of guarding the former president of the United States…we need men. Can we acknowledge reality?”
Owens wasn’t the only right-wing stooge to jump on the bandwagon. Matt Walsh tweeted “There should not be any women in the Secret Service. These are supposed to be the very best, and none of the very best at this job are women.”
Many commenters have singled out the Secret Service Director, Kim Cheatle, as most responsible for the near miss. The Director allegedly felt the rooftop was too steep to place guards on, and has been conspicuously quiet since the 14th.
In 2023, Cheatle announced a directive to increase the number of female officers to 30% by 2030. Her announcement has been bashed by conservatives, who see the move as counter-intuitive and claim it will weaken the institution.
The Secret Service hired its first female officers in 1971. Female officers are required to undergo the same training as their male counterparts. Since female officers were permitted to serve, more than 30 assassination attempts have been made on sitting presidents.
While Cheatle’s failure as a leader remains to be seen, the dialogue around female agents speaks volumes about how this election cycle is historically and uniquely toxic. MAGAs will take any excuse to smear the hard-working men and women they purport to stand behind when it benefits them. Conservatives are all about “backing the blue,” but only, it seems, as long as it’s a man.