It’s been a wild few weeks in U.S. politics. Just one week after an attempt was made on Donald Trump’s life, his opponent in the 2024 race for president, Joe Biden, announced his intent to withdraw from the running. The Democrats are now hunting for a replacement, even as Republicans grapple with the news and continue to deal with the fallout from the mid-July assassination attempt.
That attempt was unsuccessful in claiming Trump’s life, but it did bloody his ear and leave several event attendees injured, and one dead. It was a major event in politics, and one that will likely continue to see blowback for months at least. A good deal of that blowback is aimed in the direction of the Secret Service, who are seen as failing massively in their duties to protect the presidential candidate.
The missteps of the Secret Service have been a major talking point in the weeks since the attempt was made, with quite a bit of criticism aimed in the direction of Kimberly Cheatle, the director at the time. She’s since stepped down from her position — a smart move, considering the heat she’s getting — leaving the position briefly vacant while they search for a replacement.
How long was Kimberly Cheatle the Secret Service director?
Cheatle was first appointed Director of the Secret Service in 2022, after decades of service in the U.S. government. She served as director of the federal agency for two years ahead of her resignation, but that followed years of dedicated work in the field.
Long before she was appointed director, Cheatle served the Secret Service loyally. She first joined the agency in 1995, playing a vital role in several major events over the coming years. She helped evacuate Vice President Dick Cheney during the September 11 attacks, and during the Obama administration, she was assigned to Joe Biden.
Once he became president, Biden honored Cheatle’s years of work with a Presidential Rank Award for her exceptional performance in the field. The next year she was promoted to Director of the Secret Service, assuming office on September 17, 2022, and serving up until her resignation on July 23, 2024.