US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle admitted Monday that the agency failed to prevent the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

“The solemn mission of the Secret Service is to protect our nation's leaders,” Cheatle said during testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

“On July 13, we failed,” she said. “As director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for every security failure.” But she rejected a wave of bipartisan calls for her to resign.

Cheatle said the attack on Trump, who suffered a minor injury to his right ear while speaking at a campaign rally, was “the greatest operational failure by the Secret Service in decades.”