Biden names former member of his detail as next Secret Service director

President Biden on Wednesday tapped a 27-year veteran of the Secret Service to serve as the agency’s next director.

Kimberly Cheatle will take over for retiring Director James Murray, who briefly delayed his exit for the private sector amid questions about the conduct of Secret Service agents related to Jan. 6, 2021.

“Jill and I know firsthand Kim’s commitment to her job and to the Secret Service’s people and mission,” Biden said in a statement. “When Kim served on my security detail when I was Vice President, we came to trust her judgement and counsel. 

“She is a distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills, and was easily the best choice to lead the agency at a critical moment for the Secret Service,” Biden added. “She has my complete trust, and I look forward to working with her.”

Cheatle served for 27 years in the Secret Service, including as part of Biden’s detail while he was vice president. She also served in various other leadership roles, including as assistant to the special agent in charge for the Vice Presidential Protective Division and as resident agent in charge for the Secret Service’s office in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Biden previously awarded her with a Presidential Rank Award in 2021 for her service.

Cheatle will rejoin the Secret Service from her current role as senior director at PepsiCo North America, where she manages facilities, personnel and business continuity.

Murray, who has led the agency since 2019, announced in July he would retire. Multiple reports indicated he was leaving to take a job with Snapchat.

Later that month, however, Murray announced he was delaying his departure as the agency came under scrutiny for its actions as part of the investigation being conducted by a special House committee into the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6.

One witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, testified that she heard secondhand that then-President Trump physically confronted Secret Service agents when he was told he could not go to the Capitol with supporters that day.

The House committee is also looking into how text messages among agents from that day were deleted.