The US Secret Service decried as an “insult” rightwing attacks on the performance of female agents during the failed assassination attempt against Donald Trump, and rightwing claims that the presence of such agents and a woman as agency director are the result of diversity policies.
“It is an insult to the women of our agency to imply that they are unqualified based on gender,” Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service communications chief, told NBC News.
“Such baseless assertions undermine the professionalism, dedication and expertise of our workforce.”
At a Trump rally in Butler county, Pennsylvania, last Saturday, the former president and Republican presidential nominee sustained a wound to his right ear when a gunman opened fire from a rooftop.
One rallygoer was killed and two critically injured.
Amid growing reports of serious security failings, the Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle, has come under intense pressure. Subject to calls to resign, even confronted by Republican senators at the GOP convention in Milwaukee, she was served a subpoena for testimony in Congress next week.
The second woman to lead the agency, Cheatle faces rightwing claims she only secured the role thanks to policies to improve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) which she has previously backed.
Her role is a tough one. In 2014, Julia Pierson, the first woman to lead the Secret Service, resigned over high-profile security lapses.
Since the failed Trump assassination, rightwingers have also attacked female agents in the field.
One social media post, by a user described as a “MAGA2024 Ex-con deplorable” and viewed 10m times, shows a male officer carrying a large gun next to a female agent in action at the Trump rally.
Its caption says: “Secret service agents: Before DEI vs After DEI.”
Elected Republicans, practised in blaming DEI for supposed military weakness and even the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore harbour, have made similar charges.
Cory Mills, a Florida congressman, told Fox News: “Look, I’m not sure about who the individuals are on the individual detail, Secret Service, but I can tell you under this Biden administration, the one thing I’ve seen is massive DEI hires.
“And I can tell you when you primarily, when you primarily go after D-E-I, you end up with D-I-E.”
Tim Burchett, of Tennessee, went after Cheatle directly, posting: “I can’t imagine that a DEI hire from Pepsi would be a bad choice as the head of the Secret Service. #sarcasm.”
Cheatle, a former agent, worked for Pepsi before being appointed to lead the Secret Service in 2022.
The Secret Service was formed in 1865. The first female agent was appointed in 1970. The agency now says women make up 24% of its workforce.
Most agents at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania were men. When Trump was fired on, female agents were among those who protected him with their bodies.
In his statement to NBC, Guglielmi said: “We stand united against any attempt to discredit our personnel and their invaluable contributions to our mission and are appalled by the disparaging and disgusting comments against any of our personnel.
“As an elite law enforcement agency, all of our agents and officers are highly trained and fully capable of performing our missions.”
Kenneth Valentine, a former agent and supervisor, told the same network: “There are some unbelievable female agents. They are very welcome, they are needed, and I can’t imagine my tenure in the Secret Service without that kind of diversity.”
