Sloped Roof Secret Service Director Comment
Sloped Roof Secret Service Director Comment refers to memes mocking U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle's explanation that agents weren't placed on the roof used by the Trump rally shooter because it was "sloped" and posed a safety risk. The absurdity of this justification sparked widespread mockery on social media in July 2024.
Overview
Sloped Roof Secret Service Director Comment is a catchphrase meme based on an interview quote from U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle following the July 13th, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In an ABC News interview, Cheatle explained that agents weren't stationed on the warehouse roof where shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks positioned himself because "that building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point" and there was "a safety factor" that made the agency decide against placing personnel there1.
The explanation struck many as absurd given that the roof where Secret Service counter-snipers were positioned also appeared sloped, and the 20-year-old shooter had managed to access the unsecured building despite being flagged as suspicious beforehand1. Memes typically juxtapose images of different rooftops, labeling them variations of "too slope-y" versus "not too slope-y," or feature characters known for dangerous stunts receiving calls about missions on sloped roofs2.