Peoria Standard

U.S. Representative Darin LaHood commented on what he described as a security failure surrounding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, stating, "the Director of the Secret Service should resign or be fired." He made this statement in a July 19 Facebook post.

"The security failures around the assassination attempt on President Trump are unacceptable," said LaHood, U.S. Representative of Illinois's 16th congressional district (R), according to Facebook. "The Director of the Secret Service should resign or be fired."

Kimberly Cheatle was sworn into office on September 17, 2022, according to her official biography. She previously served as Senior Director in Global Security at PepsiCo and spent 27 years in the U.S. Secret Service, including time as the Assistant Director of the Office of Protective Operations and as the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta field office.

Screenshot of Rep. Darin LaHood's July 19 Facebook post | U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood's Facebook page

According to Fox News, former President Trump met with Cheatle on July 17 for a brief meeting.

Cheatle issued a statement following the assassination attempt at former President Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "I would like to start by extending my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, as well as those who were injured during this senseless act of violence. Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump. Since the shooting, I have been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. I have also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and have briefed President Biden on the details of the incident," Cheatle said in her statement dated July 15.

Congressman LaHood has represented Illinois since 2015, initially serving in the 18th Congressional District from 2015-2023; after redistricting, he now represents people in the 16th District. His political experience includes four years in the state senate from 2011-2015. He was a state and federal prosecutor for more than nine years and worked for the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Las Vegas, Nevada. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loras College and a Juris Doctor from University of Illinois-Chicago John Marshall Law School. He resides with his wife in Peoria.