The Secret Service Has A New Leader, Same As The Old Leader
Kimberly A. Cheatle, the Secret Service director who has come under intense scrutiny after the assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump, is an agency veteran who helped protect President Bill Clinton and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Ms. Cheatle joined the Secret Service in 1995 and spent more than two decades there before leaving in 2021 to lead the North American security operations for PepsiCo.
She returned to the agency in 2022 after President Biden asked her to serve as its director.
In her 22 months as director, the ranks of the Secret Service have grown, prompting claims from some employees that a focus on hiring more people with diverse backgrounds has hampered the agency.
Ms. Cheatle, 53, is the second woman to lead the Secret Service. Former colleagues have described her as capable and career-focused.
