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By Dartunorro Clark
The director of the US secret services leaves his post, confirmed Monday NBC News.
The director of the USSS, Randolph Alles, retired Major General of the Marine Corps, appointed two years ago, is about to leave the door the day after the resignation Sunday evening the head of the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen. Alles told him.
The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said in a statement that President Donald Trump "has chosen James M. Murray, a career member of the USSS, to take up his duties as director at from the month of May ".
The number of agency heads within DHS is possible and a number of key positions remain vacant.
An administration official said that the decision to request the resignation of Alles had been taken 10 to 14 days ago – before the March 28 incident in which a Chinese woman had been arrested at Mar-a-Lago without invitation, raising security issues. The woman, Yujing Zhang, was carrying a USB stick containing malicious software.
"This was not based on an isolated event," said the manager, adding that Alles would have taught Trump that he was preparing to change his leadership throughout DHS. , of which the Secret Service is one of the components.
CNN first reported the departure of Alles.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Called Alles to testify before Congress about the Mar-a-Lago incident in a statement on Monday
"The outgoing Secret Service Director is to testify before Congress as soon as possible about the potential security vulnerabilities in Mar-a-Lago involving a Chinese national arrested with malicious software, as well as other counter-intelligence threats." and national security, "said Schumer.
"The public and Congress need to know to what extent opposing governments – like China – and their agents are trying to access conversations or other national security information about President Trump's properties, or monitor them electronically, "he added.
In April 2017, Trump asked Alles to head the agency and was the first director for at least 100 years not to come from the ranks of the agency.
Alles, who previously served as Acting Deputy Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, took the reins of the secret services, which faced budget problems as the first family put a strain on protection.
In an interview in 2017, he told USA Today that the agency's funding problems had been caused in part by the president's large family and their multiple Trump properties, often visited, in the United States, and in the United States. # 39; abroad. "The president has a large family and our responsibility is required by law," Alles told the newspaper. "I can not change it, I have no flexibility."
Shortly before Mr. Alles became head of the agency, a 26-year-old Californian man, dressed in a backpack, managed to climb the fence along the south side of the house -Blanche – the first such violation reported under Trump's presidency.
In the meantime, Trump could remove or reassign Claire Grady from her current position as Acting Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security to install Kevin McAleenan, the current US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, as Interim Secretary of DHS. according to three officials.
Her departure may be necessary to avoid any court challenge to McAleenan's installation as interim secretary, officials said.
As the third head of the department, Grady is ready to assume the resignation of Acting Secretary Nielsen. But Trump announced Sunday that he expected to make McAleenan the acting secretary.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., Appeared to be referring to recent departures in a statement Monday.
"We are facing a humanitarian and security crisis at the border because Congress has not acted," Johnson said. "In addition to the dysfunctional Congress, I am concerned about a growing leadership vacuum within the department to address some of the most important issues facing the country."
Pete Williams contributed.
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