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‘Don’t Think You’ve Answered Any Questions’: Jim Jordan Confronts Kimberly Cheatle On Assassination Attempt Details

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio confronted Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday about “fundamental questions” surrounding the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Jordan questioned Cheatle, seeking an explanation for the Secret Service's alleged failure to provide additional security at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the day of the assassination attempt. The Secret Service denied those allegations, though Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Sunday that “no special task force or federal resources were provided.”

“So which one? Both statements can't be true. When you said you didn't decline President Trump's request for details, was it a guess or a lie?” Jordan asked.

“So at the Butler event, there were no requests that were denied. As far as requests go,” Cheatle began.

“Well, maybe they got tired of asking,” Jordan chimed in. “Maybe they said it wasn't worth asking because you said no so many times. How many times did you say no before that?”

Cheatle said the threats could be mitigated with technology, personnel and other resources. Jordan pressed for details about what resources the Trump campaign had requested ahead of the rally that had been denied by the Secret Service.

“This is your spokesperson speaking, not me,” Jordan said of Guglielmi's statement. “This is the Secret Service speaking, and it went from 'total lies' and 'obvious lies' to 'oh, by the way, there were times when we didn't meet their demands.' That's a huge change in five days, and the fact that you can't answer how many times you've done that is very frustrating, not just to me but to the country.”

Jordan then asked whether the Secret Service had denied requests for personnel after learning of Iran's plot to assassinate President Trump and after intelligence led the agency to step up security. Cheatle did not answer the question directly, saying the agency had denied some requests because it could mitigate potential threats with other resources. (Related article: Secret Service gives conflicting explanations for security lapses ahead of assassination attempt on Trump)

“Again, I don't have the details, but what I can say is that there are times when a request can be met with Secret Service assets and resources, and the request can be met with assets and resources that are locally available,” Cheatle said.

The Ohio congressman accused Cheatle and her office of “cutting corners” ahead of the rally, saying they failed to protect the Republican candidate.

“I'm here today because I want to answer questions, but I also want to be cautious,” Cheatle said.

“You may want to answer, but you haven't. Mr. Chairman, Senator, I don't think you've answered any of my questions. A lot of people have asked questions, and we'll see if your record improves, but at this point, I don't think you've answered any of the questions,” Jordan concluded.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a July 15 interview with CNN that claims the department denied the Trump campaign's request were “patently false.” Guglielmi disputed the claim that a request for “additional security resources” for the rally was denied, saying in a July 14 interview that the department provided the campaign with “protective resources and technology.” post About X.

Cheatle called the incident “unacceptable” in an interview with ABC News on July 15 and refused to resign over the incident.

The Secret Service and FBI told lawmakers on Wednesday that authorities had identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the man who plotted to assassinate Trump, about 50 minutes before the former president took the stage. Cheatle said no Secret Service agents were stationed on the roof where the shooting took place because it was unsafe due to a “sloping” roof. according to To NBC News.

Crooks reportedly flew a drone over the rally just hours before it began.

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