WASHIGTON  -  US Secret Service director Kim Cheatle has resigned after security failures surrounding an assassina­tion attempt on former President Donald Trump. “As your director, I take full responsibility for the se­curity lapse,” Ms Cheatle said in a resignation letter to agency staff on Tuesday.

She had faced calls from both Democrats and Re­publicans to step down after a contentious House committee hearing on Monday about the incident.

Lawmakers became increasingly frustrated when she refused to answer questions about the shooting at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this month. In her resigna­tion letter, Ms Cheatle said she had always “put the needs of the agency first” and it was “with a heavy heart” that she made her decision.

“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tem­po increases,” she said. “I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mis­sion.” President Joe Biden said in a statement that he was grateful for her decades of public service.

“The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” he said. Mr Biden said he would appoint a new di­rector soon. For now, Secretary of Homeland Se­curity Alejandro Mayorkas has appointed Ronald Rowe as acting director of the agency. Mr Rowe, a 24-year Secret Service veteran, has held the posi­tion of deputy director since April 2023.