Representative Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah) raised “serious concerns” about leadership, training, and protocol within the Secret Service during the House Oversight Committee hearing on the agency’s recent security breaches on the White House.
Chaffetz, who National Review has backed to take over the committee chairmanship when Darrell Issa’s term is up, took particular issue with the Secret Service director praising agents’ “tremendous restraint” when a man jumped the fence earlier this month, entered the White House, and reportedly made it as far as the East Room.
“‘Tremendous restraint’ is not what we’re looking for; ‘tremendous restraint’ is not the goal and the objective,” he said. “It sends a very mixed message — the message should be overwhelming force.”
Chaffetz ran through a litany of events in recent years in which the agency has failed to properly ensure the first family’s safety. Intruders need to know they may be killed if they enter the premises, he said, and the agents should know “this member of Congress has their back” if lethal force is used.
“Don’t let somebody get close to the president, don’t let somebody get close to his family, don’t let them get in the White House ever,” he said.
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