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Republican National Committee boss Lara Trump insisted this week that the United States Secret Service can adequately protect her father-in-law, former President Trump — and said the agency’s director is the one who should be called to the carpet.
Despite a string of agency failures that nearly led to Trump’s assassination at a rally July 13 in Pennsylvania, Lara Trump was unequivocal when asked whether she was confident the agency could still safeguard him.
“I do, absolutely,” she said.
“I think the men and women of the United States Secret Service are some of the greatest people I’ve ever met, Eric [Trump] and I had a Secret Service detail for four years. The people around us were wonderful. The job they did was totally 100% professional,” she continued.
But Lara Trump had sharp words for Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle — saying she agreed with the agency head’s own assessment that the buck stopped with her.
“There were obviously some mistakes and some lapses and I ultimately think it’s up to the Secret Service director to answer those questions.”
Cheatle has faced growing calls to step down in the wake of the assassination attempt, though Lara Trump herself demurred on whether Cheatle should resign.
Critics have noted the large numbers of smaller female agents tasked with physically protecting the much larger 6’3″ former president. Videos of at least one agent struggling to re-holster her gun, also did not inspire confidence, they noted.
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Cheatle has been a champion of diversity, and promised to make the department 30% female by 2030.