Kimberly Cheatle, the Director of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), resigned on Tuesday. Her resignation is 10 days too late and should probably have been months ago.
Cheatle admitted USSS failure on July 13. She repeatedly stated she was responsible. Cheatle obviously has no idea of what “responsible,” “leadership,” or “accountability” actually are for a leader. She also obviously has no grasp on what to do to investigate or fix the multiple, catastrophic failures of the USSS and the Biden administration to whom she was responsible as a leader.
Everyone in the Biden-Harris administration and the press seems to be without knowledge of the direction needed immediately, for the remaining current election cycle, and for the future of the USSS and VIP mission protection. Action cannot wait for handwringing and filling the grossly vacant leadership of the USSS. Here is what should be done immediately, based on logic and many years of leadership experience in the military, in combat, and with police domestically and internationally:
1. Immediate removal of Cheatle physically from any and all USSS offices, confiscation of any materials, files, computers, phones, etc. in her possession.
2. Immediate removal of any security clearances of Cheatle.
3. Replace Cheatle with an experienced, field-tested, proven LEADER. Provide that leader with the essential field experienced, not office experienced, critical staff. This must be done immediately, with further necessary adjustments to follow.
4. Immediate review and submission within 72 hours of all current SS and DHS VIP protection assignments for mission, venue(s), adequate personnel and equipment, communications coverage and recording (mandatory), liaison with local law enforcement, and all other pertinent factors. Take immediate action to augment any deficiencies. If necessary request additional support from all applicable agencies of federal and local governments to include the National Guard and active duty military. Report of the review to Congress and to the public via daily press conferences for the next two weeks, and bi-weekly thereafter.
5. USSS and DHS should be providing detailed briefings and timelines to the press and the American public daily immediately. Protect classified information as needed but inform the public as to what transpired and what is immediately planned underway to fix the failures to the extent possible. Provide a timeline for enhanced capability of USSS and FHS for all necessary security requirements particularly during the intense election period and through the inauguration of the new administration in January 2025.
6. Review of no longer than 24 hours to determine who in the USSS leadership was responsible for the inadequate assessment of the Trump USSS detail, advance preparations for the July 14 Trump rally, communications supervision of the rally, liaison with local and Pennsylvania law enforcement for the rally.
7. Firing of all USSS, Homeland Security, and other Biden administration action, liaison, or administration of the SS detail and actions at the Trump Rally.
8. Immediate resignation of Aleajndro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and any DHS leadership personnel responsible for providing support to the Trump Rally and denying support for DHS and USSS enhanced personnel numbers.
9. Review within 24 to 48 hours of all policies for assignment of presidential, presidential candidate, first families (current and former) details, assignments, supervision, and training.
10. Institute and begin to conduct within 72 hours remedial training for all USSS and DHS personnel related to planning, advance work, supervision, communications, and execution of USSS details augmented by DHS personnel. This training must include proper weapons qualifications on a monthly basis. It was obvious from the many videos of the SS detail, no matter how brave they were, many, especially the females, were inadequately trained on their personal weapons. Conduct monthly field training, weapons training, communications integration tests, etc.
11. Execute logical tabletop training for contingencies for all USSS details prior to all specified security detail events.
12. Conduct After Action Reviews for all future major events. Record results and findings. Immediately institute any required adjustments and changes to improve security capabilities.
13. Within one week hold enhanced sniper training, to include oversight concept training with the help of experts from the FBI, and military, Such training must be reviewed, refreshed, and enhanced every 30 days.
14. Within 72 hours review and reallocate the UDSS budget to place emphasis on mission, training for mission, communications capability, administration burden vs. mission (tooth to tail priorities), etc. If funding is inadequate, request emergency funding augmentation from DHS or if not DHS, then Congress. Provide detailed justification for budget priorities and administration within one week. Provide detailed reviews and any requests for funding to DHS monthly or as may be required during the campaign season.
15. Within 72 hours review and revise all USSS Standard Operations Procedures. Within 2 weeks all USSS personnel and DHS augmentees will be trained on the revised SOPs with on-the-ground field training. Briefings alone on operations procedures are not at all adequate for proficiency.
16. Stabilize USSS security details for key personnel (President, VP, presidential candidates, and all VIP family members as may be appropriate). Ensure adequate USSS personnel or DHS augmentees are stabilized in their assignments so that they are familiar with their VIP charges, habits, and patterns of operation, Ensure adequate rest for USSS personnel. Field train all replacement or augmentee personnel for every USSS detail. Having those personnel view a PowerPoint presentation is NOT training. Active, standard operating procedure training is essential until proficient.
17. Review all communication policies, procedures, equipment, interface with local law enforcement, required habitual recording of all communication reasonably prior to, during and for a reasonable period after every USSS security event.
18. Review and immediately enhance helicopter and drone coverage of USSS security mission events. Begin immediate enhancements. If USSS and DHS do not have adequate, properly supported helicopter and drone capabilities, request assistance from our military. Ensure such air assets, to include local law enforcement and civilian flyover, is centrally integrated controlled by USSS and FAA resources.
19. Create and maintain with adequate, trained, resourced personnel a secure tactical operations center for all USSS mission critical events to provide operational direction, integration, constant surveillance of arial coverage and personnel surveillance of the USSS mission venues with active capability to make necessary localized decisions and adjustments. All such tactical operational centers will also have redundant linkage with a central operations center at USSS headquarters for their command and control, as necessary.
20. Immediately suspend all Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) actions for USSS. Merit is the ONLY basis for USSS leadership and for all assignments.
There is obviously more to be done than is covered here. However, this would be an immediate and adequate start rather than continue to flounder as the U.S. Secret Service has under past Director Cheatle.
Given the history of bungling incompetence of the Biden-Harris administration we can be assured few if any of these corrective measures will be implemented.
Bill Wenger is a retired commercial real estate executive, college professor, and U.S. Army Infantry Airborne Ranger Colonel. He voluntarily served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan after initial military retirement. He served 42 years commissioned service. He earned five Master’s Degrees and has taught National Strategic Planning, the Operational Level of Warfare, business and U.S. History. His latest book is on Amazon: The Key to American Independence: Quantifying Foreign Assistance to the American Revolution.