It has been a really rough couple of weeks for shamed U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle who accidentally, apparently, admitted und...
It has been a really rough couple of weeks for shamed U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle who accidentally, apparently, admitted under oath to Congress that she communicates with her government colleagues on her personal device using encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Telegram.
In testimony that you can watch below, Cheatle is asked about the use of these encrypted messaging apps, to which she fumbled around with some unrealistic-sounding story about how these apps are sometimes necessary when communicating overseas.
"Many times, it's with colleagues and, uh, associates."
"There are times that the Secret Service when we work, uh, internationally, uh, with some of our partners that they don't have the same texting capability," was Cheatle's response about why she uses encrypted messaging apps on her personal device to communicate with colleagues.
When then asked about why she does not use the encrypted messaging apps on her government device rather than her personal device, Cheatle had this to say:
"Uh, recently we have been able to, uh, install some of those apps on government devices."
A longer version of the video can be viewed below:
What will happen to Kim Cheatle now?
That Cheatle made such an admission on the record is shocking, especially since it appears based on the above footage that Cheatle probably did not mean to let the truth slip with such blatancy.
"This really is a shocking admission," agreed "Janine Clark" (@DixieChick0211) on X. "She probably wishes she hadn't answered the question like that. Too bad. No take backs."
Another named "Dylan Tucker" (@tuckerstown) disagreed, stating that this type of thing "happens all the time in the government and military world."
"It's because the functionality of government issued devices is so limited that sometimes it requires the use of a personal phone or other apps such as signal to communicate effectively," Tucker further said.
"I am not excusing it because shouldn't be happening in this case, but the reality is that it does happen and the reason behind it mostly is the lack of functionality on government issued devices."
Someone else chimed in that nobody is talking about the allegations of Donald Trump's Secret Service also using encrypted apps and "deleting all their texts."
"It's a federal crime if personal devices were used to share sensitive government information," added "MJTruthUltra" (@MJTruthUltra) to the conversation. "The rep even stated this later. All depends on the kinds of communications."
Others wondered why Cheatle was not terminated or, better yet, placed in handcuffs and hauled away for prosecution. She has since resigned, yes, but why was she afforded the easy way out? And will she ever be held accountable or will she just slither off and disappear?
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