Republican senators confronted Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. They demanded answers about the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
Video shows Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., confronting Cheatle in Milwaukee. Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., were also involved.
"Stonewalling," Barrasso yelled at Cheatle as she moved through the convention center.
"This was an assassination attempt, you owe the people answers, you owe President Trump answers," Blackburn insisted.
In a longer video, senators can be seen questioning Cheatle. She responded that the convention was not the right place for the discussion but offered to answer questions later. As she left the suite, lawmakers shouted at her.
The Secret Service, in response, said Cheatle is committed to transparency. "Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident," said spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. He emphasized Cheatle's commitment to transparency and her refusal to step down.
The incident followed criticism of the agency by Republicans and some Democrats. They questioned the circumstances surrounding the attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, is under FBI investigation for his motive.
Trump was shot in the ear. One attendee was killed, and two others were injured. Lawmakers want to know how the gunman got so close and fired multiple shots. Witnesses saw him climbing the building.
FBI Director Christopher Wray briefed both the House and Senate on Wednesday. Barrasso described the meeting as a "100% cover-your-a—briefing."
Cheatle agreed to comply with a subpoena from House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer. She called the shooting "unacceptable" and assured it "shouldn’t happen again."
"The buck stops with me," she told ABC News. "I am the director of the Secret Service, and I need to ensure a thorough review and provide necessary resources to our personnel."
Cheatle faced criticism for her comments about a "sloped roof" causing a safety issue. She explained the decision to secure the building from inside due to the roof's steep slope.