![Biden unidentified objects](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Biden.jpeg)
![Biden unidentified objects](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Biden.jpeg)
Welcome to this week’s Intelligence Brief… in recent days, more confusion has erupted in the aftermath of an announcement by President Joseph Biden on Sunday, where he revealed that he would not seek reelection in the 2024 presidential race. In our analysis of events, we’ll be looking at 1) what the outgoing President said, and did not say, during an official address from the Oval Office this week, 2) the storm surrounding the U.S. Secret Service that led to its Director’s resignation, and 3) why the FBI Director says his bureau is uncertain what the object was that injured former President Donald Trump during an attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania event.
Quote of the Week
“There is some question about whether or not it was a bullet or shrapnel that hit [Donald Trump’s] ear.”
– FBI Director Chris Wray
Latest News: In recent articles at The Debrief, a patented new form of solid-state battery that researchers are terming a ‘super battery’ has been developed, and scientists have discovered metallic minerals on the deep ocean floor that produce “dark oxygen”. As always, you’ll find links to all of our recent stories at the end of this week’s newsletter.
Podcasts: In podcasts this week, on The Micah Hanks Program I take a deep dive into the Manhattan Project, U.S. Cold War secrets, and strange things that were afoot in the post-war American Southwest. Meanwhile, as The Debrief Weekly Report takes a brief summer vacation, you can catch up on past episodes over on The Debrief’s Podcasts Page.
Video News: Recently on Rebelliously Curious, Chrissy Newton was joined by Michael Raduga, Founder of REMspace, to discuss how he and researchers from the startup REMspace are testing technology that allows people to control devices in their ‘smart home’ while in a lucid dreaming state. Be sure to check out other great content from The Debrief on our official YouTube Channel.
With all the housekeeping out of the way, it’s time we shift our attention over to the historic developments of the last several days, and what their potential implications are.
Biden Makes an Unprecedented Exit
Over the weekend, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he would not seek reelection in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, in a sudden departure where he endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris.
“I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden said on Wednesday during a rare address from the Oval Office, marking the first time he addressed his decision since it was revealed on Sunday. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.”
![Biden](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Biden-address.jpg)
![Biden](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Biden-address.jpg)
“I draw strength and find joy in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me, it’s about you. Your families, your futures.”
Notably absent from the President’s address had been any clear stated reason for his choice to drop out of the current election. However, Biden’s decision followed increased pressure from members of his own party who had privately urged him to step down, following a disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, who recently accepted the official nomination from his party.
“In recent weeks, it has become clear to me that I need to unite my party in this critical endeavor,” Biden said on Wednesday. “I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term. But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”
“So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said.”
Secret Service Chief Kim Cheatle Resigns
While Biden’s official statement on his resignation was arguably the focal point of the historic events occurring this week, pressure building over lingering concerns about the efficacy of the U.S. Secret Service following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump came to a head on Monday, when now former Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle appeared before lawmakers.
“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders,” Cheatle told the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday. “On July 13th, we failed.”
Cheatle was lambasted by members of the committee, many of whom had called for her resignation. Following Monday’s hearing, Cheatle announced she would be stepping down from the position.
In a statement issued by the White House, the outgoing President was less critical of Cheatle, thanking her for her service while acknowledging that the U.S. Secret Service cannot allow such significant failures in the future.
“We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” Biden said in a written statement. “As we move forward, I wish Kim all the best, and I will plan to appoint a new Director soon.”
FBI Director: Bullet, or Shrapnel?
In another odd turn of events this week, FBI Director Chris Wray revealed this week that the Bureau was uncertain whether a bullet had actually been what struck former President Donald Trump during an assassination attempt that occurred at a recent outdoor rally in Pennsylvania.
During a session before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, Wray said the FBI is currently still investigating the incident, and that among the remaining questions is a degree of uncertainty about the identity of the object that struck Trump’s right ear.
![Christopher Wray](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Christopher-Wray.jpg)
![Christopher Wray](https://thedebrief.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Christopher-Wray.jpg)
“There is some question about whether or not it was a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear, so it is conceivable, as I sit here right now, I don’t know whether that bullet, in addition to causing the grazing, could have also landed somewhere else,” Wray told lawmakers. The FBI director offered no additional information on what the source of the possible shrapnel might have been, nor what led the FBI to draw this conclusion.
Following the odd revelation, former President Trump called for Wray’s resignation on social media over unrelated statements the FBI Director made during the hearing regarding his past “uneventful and unremarkable” interactions with President Biden.
None of the lawmakers present during the hearing with Wray asked for additional clarity on the FBI Director’s uncertainty over what the object that struck the former President’s ear may have been.
That concludes this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief. You can read past editions of The Intelligence Brief at our website, or if you found this installment online, don’t forget to subscribe and get future email editions from us here. Also, if you have a tip or other information you’d like to send along directly to me, you can email me at micah [@] thedebrief [dot] org, or Tweet at me @MicahHanks.
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