After the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the Secret Service is facing increased scrutiny from Congress and the public alike. What exactly is the history and role of this elite government security force?
Here are Five Facts on the Secret Service.
- The Secret Service was established on July 5, 1865.
It was originally created as a bureau within the Department of the Treasury to combat the widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency, which threatened the nation's financial stability after the Civil War. Over time, its role expanded to include protective duties following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. However, it was not until a thwarted assassination attempt on President Harry S. Truman in 1951 that Congress permanently authorized Secret Service protection for the President and their immediate family as well as the Vice President and President-elect.
- Secret Service agents often partner with other law enforcement agencies to handle security for public events.
This collaboration is crucial for ensuring comprehensive security measures are in place, ranging from crowd control to intelligence gathering, which helps mitigate potential threats during large gatherings and high-profile events. At the recent rally in Butler, PA, where a shooter fired on former President Trump, the shooter was positioned on a nearby roof that was notably outside of the Secret Service’s designated patrol area and instead was under surveillance by local law enforcement.
- There have been at least one dozen assassinations or attempted assassinations of presidents or presidential candidates since the Secret Service was established.
According to a 2009 study by the Congressional Research Service, the first of these attacks came when former President Theodore Roosevelt was shot while delivering a campaign speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before last week’s shooting, the most recent high-profile assassination attempt took place in 2023, when a man drove a rented truck into a barrier at the White House and, when apprehended, claimed he planned to kill President Biden.
- Major reforms to the Secret Service were implemented after the 1981 shooting of President Ronald Reagan.
These reforms included enhanced training programs for agents, improved coordination with other law enforcement agencies, and the development of more sophisticated threat assessment and response protocols to protect the President and other key government figures. Most recently, the purview of the Secret Service was expanded in 1998 to include developing and implementing security plans for “major political party conventions; Presidential inaugurations; summits of world leaders; meetings of international organizations such as the United Nations General Assembly; major national and international sporting events; State of the Union Addresses; state funerals; and other events of national significance.”
- Members of Congress have proposed bipartisan legislation to require enhanced security for all major presidential candidates.
Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) have announced plans to introduce legislation that would boost Secret Service protection for not only President Biden and former President Trump, but also Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who does not have any Secret Service protection at the moment. This call for heightened security comes at a time when a sizeable minority of Americans have expressed support for political violence ahead of the 2024 elections.
