| 'ON JULY 13TH, WE FAILED': The Secret Service — which, according to its official history, was created in 1865 to stamp out rampant counterfeiting — now only has one primary job: protection. It is tasked with protecting the president, major candidates for president, former presidents, and their immediate family members. At this one job, it failed on July 13, when a 20-year-old sniper came within a whisker of assassinating Donald Trump, despite glaring signs that screamed the former president was under imminent threat. Called to account before a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on Monday, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle had no choice but to admit the obvious. "The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders. On July 13th, we failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency." Cheatle said, "I will move heaven and Earth to ensure that an incident like July 13th does not happen again." What followed was a contentious hearing marked by Cheatle's inability or unwillingness to answer key questions, which frustrated and deeply angered both Republicans and Democrats. "I am almost as speechless" Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), said on Fox, after the hearing, "In my time in Congress, I have never seen a witness this bad. I've never seen an agency head this feckless and weak in terms of their personal leadership." The performance united the fractious committee and prompted chairman James Comer (R-KY) and ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) to release a rare joint letter calling on Cheatle to resign immediately. "Today, you failed to provide answers to basic questions regarding that stunning operational failure and to reassure the American people that the Secret Service has learned its lessons and begun to correct its systemic blunders and failures," they wrote. "In the middle of a presidential election, the committee and the American people demand serious institutional accountability and transparency that you are not providing." OPINION: DOES THE SECRET SERVICE NEED TO PROTECT 36 PEOPLE? UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: Committee members were aghast that nine days after the assassination attempt, Cheatle had no answers to basic questions. "Why wasn't a Secret Service agent on the roof?" asked Comer. "This is a huge question that every American has." "What I can tell you is that there was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities and who was going to provide overwatch," Cheatle replied. "But the Secret Service in general, not speaking specifically to this incident, when we are providing overwatch, whether that be through counter-snipers or other technology, prefer to have sterile rooftops." It was the beginning of what would be hours of unsatisfying responses that culminated with the anger of some members boiling over. Some examples: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC): "Have you provided all audio and video recordings in your possession to this committee, as we asked on July 15th, yes or no?" Cheatle: "I would have to get back to you on that," Mace: "That is a no. You're full of shit today. You're just being completely dishonest." Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ): "Here you've got a guy scampering up the side of a building on top of a roof. It's identified to you … Why didn't they put a security hold on President Trump going onstage at that rally?" Cheatle: "At a number of our protective sites, they are suspicious individuals that are identified all the time. And it doesn't necessarily mean that they constitute a threat." Rep. James Comer (R-KY): "Before July 13th, had the Trump detail requested additional resources?" Cheatle: "What I can tell you is for the event on July 13th, the assets that were requested for that day, were given." Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): "Were you guessing or lying when you said you didn't turn down requests from President Trump's detail?" Cheatle: "So what I can tell you is that for the event in Butler, there were no requests that were denied as far as requests —" Jordan: "Well, maybe they got tired of asking. Maybe you turned them down so darn much. They said not worth asking." Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX): "How did a 20-year-old loner, with a week's notice, pick the absolute best location to assassinate President Trump, when the entire Secret Service missed it? Director Cheatle, under your leadership, your agency got outsmarted and outmaneuvered by a 20-year-old. How can we have any confidence that you could stop a trained professional from a nefarious nation-state?" Cheatle: "Those are absolutely questions that we need to have answers to." SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR FACES ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT FOR TRUMP SHOOTING 'FAILURE' 'AT THE END OF THE DAY … WE DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS': "Kimberly Cheatle repeatedly failed to answer basic questions from Republicans and Democrats related to stunning operational failures that led to the attempted assassination of President Trump," Committee Chairman Comer said in a statement issued after the hearing. "This committee is not known for its model of bipartisanship, but I think today we came together unanimously in our disappointment for your lack of answers," Comer told Cheatle in his closing comments. "I don't think there was one question asked by anyone that the average American hasn't already asked at a diner, or at church, or at a ball game. The American people have questions. They deserve answers. Congress deserves answers," Comer said. "You were subpoenaed today to provide answers. And, ma'am, you did not do that." "We have video clearly showing people notifying the police, and the police are blaming the Secret Service," Comer said. "The Secret Service are blaming the police. Homeland Security is blaming everybody. But at the end of the day, after this hearing and after our request for information, we don't have any answers for the American people. And we don't have that confidence that you can lead the Secret Service to restore the confidence." KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR'S CONGRESSIONAL GRILLING ON TRUMP SHOOTING Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will take a two-day break this week, and won't publish on Thursday July 25, and Friday July 26. We'll be back in your inbox and online Monday July 29. HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur at the Pentagon at 10:30 a.m. NETANYAHU ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington ahead of tomorrow's speech before a joint meeting of Congress. Several Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, have said they won't be attending the address. "No, Netanyahu should not be welcomed into the U.S. Congress," said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on X. "On the contrary, his policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution should be roundly condemned." "I will not attend Netanyahu's speech," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) posted on X. "Following Hamas' horrific attack, Netanyahu's war strategy killed 12,000+ women and children, inflicted widespread starvation, and prioritized his political survival over the release of hostages. He should not have a platform before Congress." Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday and then separately with Harris later this week. According to Politico, Netanyahu has requested an in-person meeting with former President Donald Trump, but nothing has been confirmed. "Trump has yet to agree to a meeting, but also has not outright rejected the idea," Politico reported, citing sources. "One of the people said if the meeting does take place, it will likely be later in the week following Trump's rally in North Carolina on Thursday." KAMALA HARRIS DECLINES TO ATTEND NETANYAHU ADDRESS TO CONGRESS "Major geopolitical changes are driving the need for this new strategic approach to the Arctic, including Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the accession of Finland and Sweden to the NATO Alliance, increasing collaboration between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia, and the accelerating impacts of climate change," Austin said in a memo accompanying the strategy document. "The United States must stand ready to meet the challenge alongside allies and partners." The strategy, dubbed a "monitor-and-respond approach," focuses on "enhancing our domain awareness and Arctic capabilities, engaging with our allies and partners, and exercising calibrated presence in the region," Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday. "Russia continues to pose an acute threat to security and stability in the region. Despite its losses in Ukraine, Russia has continued to build up its military infrastructure in the Arctic and assert excessive claims over Arctic waters. Russia's ongoing illegal war in Ukraine has rendered government-to-government cooperation on Arctic matters virtually impossible," Hicks said. "More troubling, we've seen growing cooperation between the PRC [China] and Russia in the Arctic, commercially with the PRC being a major funder of Russian energy exploitation in the Arctic, and increasingly militarily with Russia and China conducting joint exercises off the coast of Alaska." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Cabinet was only informed of Biden's decision to drop out after it was public Washington Examiner: World leaders react to Biden's decision to drop out of race Washington Examiner: 'Multifront war': Netanyahu faces chaos in US, anger in Israel, and threats from Iran Washington Examiner: Kamala Harris declines to attend Netanyahu address to Congress Washington Examiner: Opinion: Central Command's Kurilla, unlike predecessor, speaks truth to power Washington Examiner: Foreign governments will fear even higher stress Secret Service visits Washington Examiner: Key takeaways from Secret Service director's congressional grilling on Trump shooting Washington Examiner: Opinion: Does the Secret Service need to protect 36 people? Washington Examiner: Secret Service director faces articles of impeachment for Trump shooting 'failure' Washington Examiner: ‘Full of s***’: Mace gets heated with Secret Service director Washington Examiner: Former White House physician says Trump is healing well after assassination attempt AP: Biden's Withdrawal Injects Uncertainty into Wars, Trade Disputes, and Other Foreign Policy Challenges Wall Street Journal: 'A Rubik's Cube in the Sky': Israel Struggles to Defend Against Drones Breaking Defense: NGAD: Air Force Secretary Cracks Door for Unmanned Next-Gen Fighter Real Clear Defense: Why the Air Force Needs NGAD The War Zone: New Carrier-Based Version of the Gambit Family of Combat Drones Is in the Works Aviation Week: USAF: No Final Decision Yet on KC-135 Replacement Plan Defense One: New Design for Next-Gen UK-Italy-Japan Fighter Unveiled Air & Space Forces Magazine: B-52s Mark Historic Firsts with Finland and Romania, Intercepted by Russia Air & Space Forces Magazine: CMSSF: As Space Force Moves Ahead with New Force Generation Model, 'Unknowns' Remain Breaking Defense: GE and Kratos Unveil New Engine 'Family,' Aimed at Cruise Missiles, CCA Air & Space Forces Magazine: New Strategy: US Will Keep 'Watchful Eye' on China, Russia's Arctic Cooperation Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Traffic Control For Drones? Air Force Tests Out New System Defense News: Undersecretary for International Cooperation Needed, DOD Advisers Say Military.com: Commander at Eglin Air Force Base Fired from Job Days Before He Was Set to Leave Post The Hill: First US Air-to-Air Victory Scored by a Female Pilot American Spectator: To the US Military: Don't Surrender the Skies to China The Cipher Brief: Opinion: Putin's Maskirova and his Preference for U.S. President The Cipher Brief: Former Homeland Security Head: Crowdstrike Outage is an IT Wakeup Call The Cipher Brief: Analysis: National Security Lessons from Crowdstrike's Global Disaster The Cipher Brief: How a Software Update Caused a Global Meltdown THE CALENDAR: TUESDAY | JULY 23 7:15 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia — Association of the U.S. Army "Coffee Series" in-person event with Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command https://www.ausa.org/events/coffee-series/ltg-gainey 8 a.m. 7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Virginia — Potomac Officers Club 2024 Air Defense Summit, with Air Force Undersecretary Melissa Dalton; Air Force Chief Information Officer Venice Goodwine; and Timothy Grayson, special assistant to the Air Force secretary for mission-centered analysis and operational imperatives https://potomacofficersclub.com/events/poc-2024-air-force-summit/ 9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies conference: “The 2024 International Dialogue on North Korean Human Rights," with South Korea Ambassador to the U.S. Hyun-dong Cho; ROK Minister of Unification Kim Yung-ho, and U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK Elizabeth Salmon https://www.csis.org/events/2024-international-dialogue 10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services joint subcommittee hearing: Mobility Aircraft Relevance and Survivability in a Contested Environment," with testimony from Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, commander, Air Mobility Command; Air Force Lt. Gen. David Tabor, director of programs and deputy chief of staff for plans and programs; and Rear Adm. Derek Trinque, director, strategic plans, policy, and logistics, U.S. Transportation Command https://armedservices.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings 10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “Member Roundtable with Families of U.S. Hostages Held by Hamas,” with testimony from family members of Americans held hostage by Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel http://foreignaffairs.house.gov 10 a.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Committee hearing: “Examining the Assassination Attempt of July 13,” with testimony from witnesses TBA http://homeland.house.gov 10 a.m. HVC-210, U.S. Capitol — House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party hearing: “The Great Firewall and the CCP’s Export of its Techno-Authoritarian Surveillance State,” with testimony from Nat Kretchun, senior vice president for programs for the Open Technology Fund; Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Xiao Qiang, founder and editor-in-chief, China Digital Times https://selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov/ 11 a.m. — Wilson Center Polar Institute virtual discussion: “The DOD’s New Arctic Strategy,” with Amanda Dory, acting undersecretary of defense for policy; Iris Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Arctic and global resilience; Maj. Gen. Odd-Harald Hagen, defense attache at the Norwegian Embassy; Rebecca Pincus, director, Wilson Center Polar Institute; and former U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green, president and CEO, Wilson Center https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/dods-new-arctic-strategy 3 p.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion, with Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live 3 p.m. 608 Dirksen — Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) discussion: “Reckless Disregard: How DHS’ Failure to Collect DNA at the Border Endangers Americans,” with whistleblowers from DHS and Customs and Border Protection and subject matter expert Kumar Kibble. RSVP: [email protected] 3 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution Talbott Center for Security and Technology and Center on the U.S. and Europe discussion: “Finland, NATO, and the Future of Trans-Atlantic Security,” with Finnish Ambassador to the U.S. Mikko Hautala; Michael O’Hanlon, director of research in the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program, director of the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, and chairman in defense and strategy at the Brookings Institution; and Constanze Stelzenmuller, director and senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution Center on the U.S. and Europe and chairwoman on Germany and trans-Atlantic relations https://www.brookings.edu/events/finland-nato-and-the-future 6 p.m. 2021 14th St. NW — Institute for Policy Studies discussion: “What’s Behind Netanyahu’s Address to Congress?” with Omar Baddar, Palestinian-American political analyst; Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison, director of development and expansion at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; Eran Efrati, director of campaigns and partnerships at Jewish Voice for Peace; and Phyllis Bennis, IPS fellow https://ips-dc.org/events/netanyahuaddress/ WEDNESDAY | JULY 24 9 a.m. — American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research virtual discussion: “Delivering on a Shared Vision with America’s Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners,” with Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs; Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs; and Mira Rapp-Hooper, National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania https://www.aei.org/events/delivering-on-a-shared-vision 10 a.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight, Federal Bureau of Investigation,” with testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray http://judiciary.house.gov 12 p.m. — RAND Corporation virtual discussion: “Reconstructing Ukraine,” with Howard Shatz, senior economist and professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School https://www.rand.org/events/2024/07/rand-policy-lab-reconstructing-ukraine 10 a.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Committee hearing: "From Drug Interdictions in the Caribbean to National Security Patrols in the Arctic: Examining U.S. Coast Guard's Role in Securing the Homeland," with testimony from Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard https://www.youtube.com/watch 10 a.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Accountability National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing: “Wasteful Spending and Inefficiencies: Examining DoD Platform Performance and Costs,” with testimony from Moshe Schwartz, senior fellow of acquisition policy at the National Defense Industrial Association; Mackenzie Eaglen, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Bryan Clark, senior fellow and director, Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology http://oversight.house.gov 11:30 a.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: "Cyber landscape, terrorism threat, and transnational repression," with Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2024/07/24/matt-olsen 2 p.m. House Chamber — Joint meeting, House and Senate to receive address from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu THURSDAY | JULY 25 10 a.m. 538 Dirksen — Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing: “Advancing National Security through Export Controls, Investment Security, and the Defense Production Act,” with testimony from Thea Kendler, assistant commerce secretary for export administration; Paul Rosen, assistant treasury secretary for investment security; Grant Harris, assistant commerce secretary for industry and analysis; and Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy http://banking.senate.gov 12 p.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “U.S.-Israel Relations After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Visit,” with Aaron David Miller, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow; David Schenker, director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Arab Politics Program; Shira Efron, Israeli Policy Forum director of research; and Brian Katulis, MEI senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register 2 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: “The Future of U.S. Nuclear Arms Control Policy," with Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for arms control, deterrence, and stability, and George Perkovich, CEIP vice president for studies https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2024/07/the-future-of-us-nuclear-arms-control-policy 2 p.m. CVC-268, U.S. Capitol — Middle East Policy Council Capitol Hill Conference: “Conflict in the Red Sea: The Role of Great Power Actors,” with Bradley Bowman, senior director, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center on Military and Political Power; Jeffrey Wood, economic security analyst at Systems Planning and Analysis; Nada al Hajjri, president, Yemen Information Center; Khalid Alwan, MEPC board member; and Bassima Alghussein, MEPC executive director https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conflict-in-the-red-sea-the-role-of-great-power-actors FRIDAY | JULY 26 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual book discussion: The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan, with editor Matt Pottinger; Ivan Kanapathy, CSIS nonresident senior associate; and Jude Blanchette, CSIS chairman in China studies https://www.csis.org/events/countering-china-gray-zone-lessons-taiwan 10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “How Strong is China’s Navy?” with Thomas Shugart, adjunct senior fellow, Center for a New American Security Defense Program, and Emma Salisbury, associate fellow in military innovation, Council on Geostrategy https://www.brookings.edu/events/how-strong-is-chinas-navy/ 7 p.m. 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW — Politics and Prose Bookstore book discussion: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World, with author Anne Applebaum, staff writer at the Atlantic https://www.politics-prose.com/anne-applebaum | | | | "Here we have video clearly showing people notifying the police, and the police are blaming the Secret Service. The Secret Service are blaming the police. Homeland Security is blaming everybody. But at the end of the day, after this hearing and after our request for information, we don't have any answers for the American people. And we don't have that confidence that you can lead the Secret Service to restore the confidence." | | Rep. James Comer (R-KY) |
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