As Trump returns to assassination attempt site, Secret Service is ‘at a breaking point,’ officials say

As Donald Trump visits Butler, Pennsylvania, today for the first time since he narrowly survived an assassination attempt there, current and former Secret Service agents fear another security lapse. A dozen current and former U.S. Secret Service agents told NBC News that an increased workload and a lack of sufficient staffing have brought the agency to “a breaking point” and “a state of crisis” that is contributing to errors, a relaxing of protocols and low morale that could lead to another catastrophic failure. Two U.S. officials told NBC News that the visit is taking place as the agency is “redlining,” meaning that staff is pushed to maximum levels and agents are working excessive hours. “The U.S. Secret Service is killing their people, and worse, they are supposed to have a zero-fail protective mission on zero rest/sleep,” said one former agent. “I love my agency, but they are setting themselves up for another incident.” The current agents asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media. One law enforcement official told NBC News that the Secret Service is “stretched virtually to the breaking point.” “I hate to say it, they are going to hit rock bottom fast” said one former Secret Service agent. “This is systemic,” said another. A senior Secret Service official acknowledged the level of concern about the agency and told NBC News, “We are doing everything in our power we can to make sure another security incident does not happen again.” Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief spokesman, acknowledged the challenges. “The increasing demand placed on the agency during this dynamic threat environment has resulted in our people being pushed to the limit,” he said in a statement. “We recognize that this is not sustainable, and we cannot risk another mission failure.” The Secret Service increased its workforce in fiscal 2024 — hiring 1,099 employees, almost double the number of new hires in the two previous fiscal years. “Attrition is an epidemic in law enforcement right now at every level,” said one U.S. official. The pressure on the agency has “never been at the magnitude of what they have right now” one former Secret Service leader with decades of service told NBC News. Paul Eckloff, a former assistant special agent in charge who oversaw the protection details of presidents Barack Obama and Trump, participated in a 2014 panel that examined staffing issues at the Secret Service. “I do not place the blame on Secret Service management, because agents and officers have always accepted fatigue is part of the personal sacrifice necessitated by the mission,” he said. “The nature of the job and the mission is such that it will always exist at the bleeding edge of human endurance and capability.” Guglielmi said acting Director Ron Rowe has developed a plan for an agencywide paradigm shift that “focuses on increasing and retaining the agency’s personnel, modernizing our technology, and building a training plan that is sustainable.” Falling asleep Agents said they had personally witnessed or were aware of agents falling asleep while on the job in recent months, and they believed that this reflected dangerous fatigue levels. Multiple agents described being “at the end of their ropes” physically and mentally, including one agent who said they had been going to work sick for several weeks but had not found time to visit a doctor. “There are mistakes being made,” said a former Secret Service agent who now works with the agency for large events in a private capacity. At a recent event attended by Obama and his detail, the former agent said, it was clear the lack of staffing was taking its toll. “One member of the former president’s detail said to me, ‘Thank God you are here. “Tensions are high and lapses of judgment are becoming more frequent,” one agent said. “The smart agents are documenting security issues just to cover themselves,” one former supervisor told NBC News. “Everyone’s covering their butts,” said another former agent. Best-case scenario, we let someone close to a dignitary who has a checkered past and that country is embarrassed,” said one former agent. “There is a huge security risk because you already have agents that are burnt out, exhausted, now having even less time to make a solid security plan and get all assets in order,” one current agent told NBC News, adding that it has led to “holes” in security plans. One former Secret Service official said the agency’s failures at Butler reflect an organization that is expected to perform at a level similar to U.S. Navy SEALs. “The Secret Service is upside down on that, maybe operational 99% and 1% training,” the former official said. “And you do that because you don’t have enough people.” U.S. officials told NBC News that the threat assessment levels for Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are at unprecedented highs — from both domestic actors and sophisticated foreign adversaries. Current and former agents told NBC News that they are also increasingly concerned about the potential for agent compromise, or an insider threat. “[Leadership] are even more concerned about compromise of an agent — the overwork, the international targeting, it’s just opening Pandora’s box,” said one former Secret Service official. “Any morale that may have existed in this agency is just absolutely down the drain; people are really starting to despise this agency,” an agent said. “Unfortunately, I truly wouldn’t be surprised with the state we’re in that agents could become compromised or sell information.” Current and former officials are also concerned about a mass exodus of Secret Service personnel over the next 18 months. “It is one of the top fears” for leadership, another person familiar with the internal discussions said. The focus of a new surge-hiring task force, according to officials, is to hire and train more “gun carriers,” including special agents, uniformed officers and other specialized technical units. “When you’re dying on the vine, and you add a little more, you’re still dying on the vine,” said one law enforcement official. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/trump-returns-assassination-attempt-site-secret-service-breaking-point-rcna174005