Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, is currently facing significant criticism from Congress and demands for her resignation following serious security failures that nearly resulted in an assassination attempt on President Trump Saturday. The New York Post has learned that Cheatle's appointment to her role was largely influenced by her close relationship with Jill Biden.
At 53, Cheatle is the first woman to lead the Secret Service, having assumed the role in August 2022. Her appointment did not require Senate confirmation. Before taking on this position, Cheatle spent three years as the senior director of global security at PepsiCo and had a 27-year career with the Secret Service, starting during the Clinton administration.
According to four sources familiar with Biden's family, Cheatle was favored by Jill and her senior aides, including Anthony Bernal, a top adviser. These sources mentioned that Cheatle's connection to Jill Biden and Bernal's influence were significant factors in her selection.
“Cheatle worked on Dr. Biden's detail when she was the Second Lady, and Anthony advocated for her,” a Democratic insider told The Post. “Anthony has no background in national security or law enforcement and should not have had a say in the appointment of the Secret Service director.”
Another well-placed source confirmed, “At the time of her consideration for the director role, Anthony was promoting her as a candidate.”
Bernal, 51, is known for his significant influence within the administration, rivaling that of White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients. He has faced accusations of bullying and sexual harassment from colleagues who compare his influence to that of Grigori Rasputin over the Romanov court.
“Anthony is focused on ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) compliance,” another insider noted to The Post.
Cheatle is scheduled to brief Congress on Tuesday about how 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to get onto a roof approximately 130 yards from Trump's location at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired an AR-15-style rifle, wounding Trump and killing a rally attendee. Cheatle will also testify at a House Oversight Committee public hearing next Monday.
Cheatle’s connection to the Biden family had been somewhat known prior to her appointment. In 2022, Joe Biden, in his announcement of her appointment, stated, “Jill and I know firsthand Kim’s dedication to her job and the Secret Service’s mission. When she was on my security detail as Vice President, we came to trust her judgment and counsel.”
The exact process of Cheatle’s appointment remains unclear, including whether the Secret Service conducted a separate selection process or if the decision was solely made within the White House. It's also uncertain how long she served on Jill Biden's detail, as agents typically rotate assignments, and previous reports indicate she also protected then-Vice President Biden.
Update: Secret Service resources were apparently diverted to an event for Jill Biden, held on the same day as Trump’s rally. This was due to agency protocol for former presidents, according to two sources within the Secret Service community. Additionally, many supplemental agents from various field offices (not Trump's regular detail) were providing security at the rally because Trump's regular detail has been overworked, with some agents working seven days straight, and only two counter-snipers were present.
However, Trump is not just a former president—he is the first in modern history to run for president again and has been at the center of several prosecutions and controversies (understatement intentional).
Who decided to divert the resources to Jill Biden's event?
Jill Biden’s office and the Secret Service have not yet responded to requests for comment.
