After Ms. Pierson appeared at a brutal congressional hearing on Tuesday, when she had to explain to a House panel how an armed intruder jumped the White House fence on Sept. 19 and made it as far into the mansion as the East Room, she woke Wednesday to mounting calls for her resignation and withering criticism, some of it from Democrats.

“I’ve had it”, she said. “I am just one woman and can’t be everywhere at once! I have no idea what these bozos are doing from one minute to the next. The meetings. The parties. The motorcades! The schedule is nuts and everybody is so uncooperative and just not fun to be around! And the secret service agents are no better! I’ll be gone as soon as I can find my way out of this building.”