One year after the near-fatal assassination attempt on Donald Trump, a deep sense of frustration pervades the U.S. Secret Service over what many current and former insiders describe as a profound lack of accountability for the security failures of that day.
In interviews, a dozen current and former federal law enforcement officials and lawmakers revealed widespread discontent, particularly concerning the promotion of senior officials who oversaw the event, while only minor disciplinary actions have been taken against lower-ranking staff. Among those promoted is Sean Curran, the top-ranking agent on Trump’s detail during the July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, who has since been appointed Director of the Secret Service.
Multiple congressional investigations and internal reviews, including one by the Secret Service itself, identified a cascade of failures. These included critical communication breakdowns with local police who had spotted the shooter on a nearby roof, confusion over the chain of command, and inadequate physical security measures, such as the absence of visual barriers to deter long-distance shooters.
Following the resignation of then-Director Kimberly Cheatle just ten days after the rally, only six Secret Service personnel have faced disciplinary action in the form of short, unpaid suspensions. According to sources, the majority of those disciplined were from the agency’s Pittsburgh field office, fueling a belief they were made scapegoats. Meanwhile, only one low-ranking member of Trump’s detail and one counter-sniper have been suspended, and at least two of the six are appealing the decision.
Compounding the frustration is a perceived “brain drain” within the agency, as a number of high-ranking officials with significant institutional knowledge have departed since the incident.
Investigations highlighted a critical lack of intelligence sharing. Weeks before the rally, the FBI obtained intelligence regarding a potential “long-range” sniper threat against Trump from the Iranian government. However, key leaders at the Secret Service, including the lead agent in Pittsburgh, were reportedly unaware of this specific threat until after the shooting. A Senate report later faulted the agency for not requesting a countersurveillance unit, whose job is to detect such threats.
A central finding of the inquiries was the absence of a clear leader responsible for the rally’s security. Former Sen. Gary Peters, who chaired one investigation, called it “astonishing” that no single person could be identified as being in charge. In an attempt to rectify this, the agency issued a memo in April clarifying that the lead agent of a protectee’s detail holds ultimate responsibility for site safety. Under this new policy, Curran would have been responsible for the failures at Butler.
While some officials are optimistic about reforms, others believe the agency’s readiness has diminished. “I would say the Secret Service is in a worse position now than they were before Butler,” one former senior official stated. Another criticized the on-the-ground team for failing to apply “the most basic principles of line of sight, communication, and frankly the subsequent evacuation wasn’t executed properly.”
In a press release, Director Curran said his experience from Butler has been “top of mind” and that the “agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated.”
Under Curran’s leadership, the Secret Service has launched an aggressive recruitment drive, reportedly boosting applications by 200%. However, his tenure had a challenging start, with a $2 million recruitment ad that included a photo from the shooting, which many officials found appalling.
Reforms established before Curran’s appointment include a new Mission Assurance Division and improved communication protocols with local law enforcement. Derek Mayer, a former deputy special agent in charge, said new policies now clearly state who has command authority.
Still, questions of accountability linger. Rep. David Joyce said former Director Cheatle’s resignation was one measure of accountability and that he hopes “Director Curran is bringing those type of things” to create a change in culture.
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