time information exchanges. Recordings of All Communi-


cation: The task force says all Secret Service radio communi- cations must be recorded and preserved, and agents’ use of encrypted messaging apps like Signal should be forbidden. This would establish a permanent re- cord of events to assist with any subsequent investigations. But as vitally necessary as


those changes are, critics warn that the Secret Service desper- ately needs an even more critical attribute — genuine leadership. In the iconic July 13 Associated


NEW LEADERSHIP Concerns over the FBI’s han- dling of the investigation may never be fully resolved. But what is clear, following arguably the worst breakdown in presidential security since John Hinckley’s 1981 attempted assassination of then-President Ronald Reagan, is that bipartisan calls for reform are now buffeting the U.S. Secret Service like never before. Many observers trace the


agency’s troubles to the dark days after 9/11. Out of that devastating terror attack came the creation of the enormous Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In March 2003, the U.S. Se-


cret Service was transferred out of the Treasury Department and into DHS. “When they morphed them


into Homeland Security,” Kelly told CBS, “they took away their identity and their exclusivity.” Among the fundamental re-


forms now being called for by Congress: Revisions to Perimeter Secu-


rity: The agency can no longer afford to declare certain areas the province of local law en- forcement simply because they are outside of the approved se- curity perimeter.


Boosting Secret Service Assets:


The already stretched agency was further strained that day by the need to cover both Trump’s rally in Butler and an appear- ance by first lady Jill Biden in Pittsburgh the same day. Some of the agents in Butler were actually Homeland Security agents that the Secret Service borrowed to fill gaps. The agency needs more as- sets. “To get ahead,” Kessler says, “directors would try to cut the budget . . . they were proud to say that they don’t ask for more mon- ey. And that’s just an invitation to mediocrity and failure.” More Countersurveillance As-


sets: The task force insists coun- tersurveillance teams are manda- tory and should automatically be provided at every outdoor event to spot bad guys or anything else amiss. The advance secu- rity teams shouldn’t have to request them. Better Drone Coverage: All


surveillance drones should be tested prior to use, and backup equipment must be available. Unified Security Rooms: To


avoid communication break- downs, all state and local agen- cies with a security role must have a representative in a single command post to ensure real-


Press photo of a bloodied Trump raising his fist to the sky with the U.S. flag waving behind him, you’ll see an agent directly below the flag who is neatly attired in a blue jacket, sporting a crisp white dress shirt and sunglasses. Amid the utter chaos of the


moment, the man appears as calm and self-possessed as if he’d just stepped away from watching a polo match. Two days after taking office


for his second term, Trump ac- knowledged the heroism and professionalism of that top agent, Sean Curran, by award- ing him a new job as director of the U.S. Secret Service. “Sean Curran, who helped


to save Trump’s life, is going to shape up the Secret Service big time,” predicts Kessler. “He hasn’t said much, he hasn’t re- vealed what his attitudes are yet, but I think actions speak louder than words. “His action is that he has


refused promotions over the years,” Kessler adds, “and has preferred to continue on the Trump detail. “And it’s those promotions


that cause the trouble, because in order to get a promotion in the Secret Service, you have to kowtow to a really nasty culture — which is the real problem.”


JULY 2025 | NEWSMAX 63


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