Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the US Secret Service, has resigned after admitting that the agency failed to prevent an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

She testified before a House oversight committee about the security lapses that allowed the attempt to occur.

Both Democratic and Republican representatives called for her resignation following her testimony.

A bipartisan task force will be established to investigate the security failures.

The Secret Service has faced significant criticism since the incident on July 13, when a 20-year-old gunman evaded security measures.

Cheatle has come under intense scrutiny for why her agents were unable to prevent the shooter from taking a direct shot at Trump.

Trump survived thanks to the bravery of Secret Service agents who shielded him after the first shot.

In a 92-minute speech, Trump mentioned Joe Biden's name only once and asked his supporters to send him back to the White House.

Meanwhile, Biden faced pressure to drop out of the race.

The FBI is conducting a formal investigation into the assassination attempt, and Cheatle has launched an internal investigation to review the security measures in place.

Cheatle was subpoenaed to appear at a congressional oversight hearing, where she was questioned about the security decisions made on the day of the attempt.

She confirmed that the gunman had been identified as suspicious before Trump took the stage but was not deemed a threat.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was carrying a rangefinder, which looked like binoculars.

Cheatle stated that the Secret Service did not know Crooks had a weapon before Trump was escorted onto the stage.

Several committee members pressed Cheatle for more information about how long the Secret Service had been aware of the suspect.

Republican Mike Turner criticized her for appearing incompetent.

Committee chair James Comer and ranking member Jamie Raskin wrote a joint letter asking for Cheatle's resignation, citing her failure to provide answers and reassure the public.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced a bipartisan task force to investigate the security failures.

The House will vote on a resolution to establish the task force, which will include seven Republicans and six Democrats.

Johnson and Raskin welcomed Cheatle's resignation and called for bipartisan action on banning assault-style weapons.

Cheatle confirmed that officials used the gun's serial number to identify the shooter, who had not been carrying an ID.

Democratic committee member Gerry Connolly asked whether the prevalence of guns in America made her job harder, but Cheatle avoided answering directly.

She emphasized that the threat environment for Secret Service agents is always difficult and evolving.

In her resignation letter, Cheatle took full responsibility for the security lapse and thanked her staff for their dedication.

President Biden thanked Cheatle for her decades of public service and announced that Deputy Director Ronald Rowe would step in as acting leader.