(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden misgendered his own head of the Secret Service, claiming he has “heard from him” during an interview with NBC News’s Lester Holt. Kimberly Cheatle, the Secret Service director appointed in 2022, is a woman.
Biden’s confusing reference to Cheatle as a “him” came after Holt’s question about accountability for the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
“Is it acceptable that you have still not heard, at least publicly, from the Secret Service director?” Holt asked in a Monday interview.
In response, Biden claimed, “Oh, I’ve heard from him.”
LESTER HOLT: "Is it acceptable that you have still not heard—at least publicly—from the Secret Service director?"
BIDEN: "Oh, I've heard from him!"
Kimberly Cheatle is The Secret Service Director. A woman. Appointed by Biden.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 16, 2024
Using the proper pronoun, Holt followed up, asking, “Have you heard from her publicly?” Biden then claimed he had met with the director in the Situation Room.
Biden’s misgendering of Cheatle comes as the Secret Service faces a newly launched sweeping investigation by the House Oversight Committee into security lapses on Saturday.
At a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was grazed by a bullet on his right ear by Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man who was fatally shot by agents.
One of the best quality videos I’ve seen of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump from Start to finish. pic.twitter.com/7JEG8gvr1V
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) July 14, 2024
Crooks also fatally wounded Corey Comperatore, a Trump supporter attending the rally with his wife and daughter. When the shooting occurred, Comperatore heroically shielded them from the bullets.
In a letter to Cheatle, the House Oversight Committee demanded the turnover of documents, including the list of personnel protecting Trump on Saturday, audio and video recordings held by the agency and all communications related to the Butler rally.
The Republican-led body also asked for internal communications, including text messages and emails between the Secret Service and DHS.
The investigation adds another layer of troubles for Cheatle, who faces mounting calls for her resignation over the harrowing attack against Trump. Despite this, Cheatle remains defiant, stating she plans to stay in her position.
U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle says that she will not resign after Secret Service failed to stop an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/yIaDD38cum
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 16, 2024
