Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Monday that "the American people want some answers" on the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, but Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is "not willing" to provide them.
"They identified a suspicious person an hour before Donald Trump was shot," Blackburn said during an appearance on "Newsline." "[At] 5:51 [p.m.] they knew he was a potential threat. [At] 5:53 [p.m.] the sharpshooters are alerted, but yet at 6 [p.m.], Secret Service cleared Donald Trump to go on that stage. Now, the Trump campaign needs answers, the Trump family and the American people want answers. And, as you have seen today, Kimberly Cheatle is not willing to provide those answers."
Cheatle testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, as Congress seeks answers about the failed attempt on Trump's life at a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, grazed Trump's ear from a nearby rooftop and killed a former fire chief who shielded his family from the gunfire. Two others were critically wounded in the attack.
"When she's not willing to give answers, I think that what we have to do is look at this and say, What is she hiding and why is she not more forthcoming?' " Blackburn said. "There should have been an advanced planning document. There should have been an operational document.
"We should be able to know who was participating in what capacity. She doesn't even know the answer to how many agents were actually on the ground."
The Tennessee senator stressed that "this isn't like you missed your sales quotas and had a bad day or you didn't get your casework quotas, your numbers, completed.
"When you're the Secret Service, and your one mission is to protect the individual, to protect that protectee, then when you mess up, people die," she said. "That is what we saw in Butler, Pennsylvania, and it is the reason that the American people, regardless of whether they're Democrat, Republican, independent, they are incensed that the Secret Service has not been able to provide information.
"Generally, the lead agent of the lead agency assembles a press conference within a short period of time after a mass casualty type event and they say, This is what we know, this is what we're investigating, this is what we need to know, and defines the agencies that are involved. She never did that. And people are still wondering why."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE -- See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.