Ornato on Monday confirmed his departure, which CNN had beforehand reported citing two sources acquainted. He mentioned he left the company to pursue a profession within the non-public sector.
“I did retire as we speak to pursue a profession within the non-public sector. I retired from the U.S. Secret Service after greater than 25 years of trustworthy service to my nation, together with serving the previous 5 presidents. I long-planned to retire and have been planning this transition for greater than a 12 months,” Ornato mentioned in an announcement to CNN.
Ornato instructed CNN he has not taken a job with the previous President or any of his corporations. He declined to call his new employer.
The Home choose committee investigating the rebel has made clear it believes Ornato was a central determine who might present beneficial details about Trump’s actions and intentions main as much as and on January 6. Not solely did Ornato as soon as run Trump’s element, however he additionally made the unprecedented transfer of becoming a member of White Home workers because the deputy chief of workers in December 2019 on a brief project and finally returned to the Secret Service to run its coaching program.
In accordance with Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat who serves on the panel, committee members have harassed their want to talk with Ornato and he has retained non-public counsel. It isn’t clear whether or not Ornato will find yourself testifying associated to the claims from Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former Trump White Home chief of workers Mark Meadows.
Among the many subjects Ornato mentioned with the committee, the supply mentioned, have been Trump’s information of then-Vice President Mike Pence’s whereabouts through the assault on the US Capitol and whether or not Trump might have achieved extra to encourage the rioters to relax and go away the constructing.
Ornato’s solutions to these questions and extra haven’t been revealed by the committee, and members of the panel have expressed frustration with elements of his testimony, with some suggesting he lacks credibility.
A Secret Service official, who spoke on situation of anonymity, beforehand instructed CNN that Ornato denies telling Hutchinson that the previous President grabbed the steering wheel of his presidential SUV or an agent on his element.
Sources instructed CNN that Ornato had been eligible for retirement since earlier this summer season, and he had been discussing leaving the Secret Service since earlier than Hutchinson’s testimony.
This story has been up to date with further info Monday.
CNN’s Paul LeBlanc, Annie Grayer and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
