Eric Trump joined the chorus of Republicans calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign after security failures enabled former President Trump’s attempted assassin to open fire at a Pennsylvania rally last weekend, killing one and injuring others.
“[She] should resign in absolute disgrace,” he told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
“The fact that you can come out and lie to the American people, stop subpoenas as Mayorkas is trying to do right now, stop FOIA requests as Mayorkas is trying to do right now, and tell the American people that… Secret Service couldn’t navigate the roof. That’s going to be the excuse she’s going to use? It’s an absolute disgrace,” he continued.
Eric Trump, son of former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“The fact that the Biden administration could allow a former president, and very likely a future president, to take a bullet through the ear, and there is no accountability… and the person [Cheatle] is still in their job just shows how disgraceful and inept this administration is. She should be out of a job. They should put somebody in there that’s competent.”
Trump also credited the Secret Service agents on stage with his father that day for doing their part to keep him safe, calling them “incredible people” and noting that some are personal friends.
United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle looks on during a press conference at the Secret Service’s Chicago Field Office on June 4 2024 in Chicago, Illinois, ahead of the 2024 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The former President was on stage at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire, wounding Trump’s ear as well as critically injuring spectators and killing firefighter Corey Comperatore.
In the days since, security failures leading up to and during the event have come under intense scrutiny from Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., James Lankford, R-Okla., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who confronted Cheatle, demanding answers from her at the 2024 Republican National Convention last week.
Cheatle is slated to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill on Monday as lawmakers continue to seek answers on how Crooks was able to get so close to the former President and fire multiple shots before being taken out by a sniper.