The Secret Service faces a shortage of agents to handle the 2024 events due to massive layoffs of agents in recent years , The New York Times reported on Thursday, October 3 .
According to the newspaper, the service’s employees understood that 2024 would be one of the most tense years in recent history due to the large number of political events. However, the Secret Service approached this period unprepared. Instead of increasing its personnel, it recorded the largest outflow of personnel in at least the last two decades: 1.4 thousand of the 7.8 thousand employees left in the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years.
As the NYT points out, the reasons for the dismissal include frequent overtime work, which might not even be paid, favoritism and nepotism in the organization, as well as problems with the implementation of advanced technical means.
The service’s problems were also revealed in two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump. For example, due to the lack of technical means during the first assassination attempt, the attacker was able to scout the situation using a drone, and due to poor communication, he was allowed to open fire, although law enforcement officers spotted the attacker, the newspaper writes.
Earlier, on September 26, a Secret Service agent was suspected of harassing an assistant to US Vice President Kamala Harris . At the moment, the details of the incident are not disclosed. Harris’ office confirmed that the incident did indeed take place, but refused to disclose further details.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said during a briefing on September 20 that officers would face disciplinary action for failing to secure the rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania, where former President Donald Trump was assassinated. He said it was a failure of the agency .