We learned last week that the U.S. Secret Service is completely overstretched by its protective taskings. While most in the media blame the foreign travels of Trump’s children for the service’s issues, I believe they are missing the point.
To start, there is an obvious and exigent need for the service to protect the first family. Those individuals are at heightened risk of kidnapping, and any successful kidnapping would risk paralyzing the president’s decision making.
Moreover, it’s not just the first family and second family who are under service protection, it’s also many other lower ranking government officials.
And that’s where the difficulty ultimately rests. As the Washington Post reports, there are now 42 White House officials under service protection (18 of which are Trump family members). But were a prudent service assessment of costs and threats undertaken, I believe many of these details would not be justified. Indeed, the Secret Service’s threat assessment division probably assesses many of these individuals as facing low or non-credible threats, the problem is that they must protect whoever Trump requests.
Unfortunately, many officials request security details not because they are fearful, but for reasons of arrogance. Put simply, they like to be seen out and about while surrounded by sharp highly-trained men and women in suits. They like this, for it makes them appear and feel important: Security details are seen as the pinnacle of D.C. status.
Sure, it’s pathetic, costly for taxpayers, and abuses Secret Service professionalism, but it continues nonetheless. And that’s a challenge in that the service doesn’t do protection on the cheap. Each detail operates 24 hours a day and has at least 2 agents on post at any one time. Considering shift rotations, this likely means at least 8 agents per detail.
That said, it would be unfair to only blame the Trump administration here. After all, President Obama also adorned 27 members of his White House staff, like Valerie Jarrett, with security details. And today, the former president also requires significant protective resources as he travels to far-flung corners of the world.
Regardless, the time for reform has now come.
First, Congress should mandate the publication of those White House officials under service protection. This would bring public embarrassment to those who are receiving details without any realistic justification, and hopefully cut the number of White House officials under protection by at least half.
Second, Trump should remove security details from White House officials who do not need them. This should probably include everyone outside of the White House chief of staff and the national security adviser. Where other officials face specific threats or stalkers, they should only receive details on a temporary basis until those threats are resolved. And for those facing threats of a sustained low-to-mid level nature, local police should take responsibility. This might include installing extra security systems around their residence and vehicles, more visible police patrols of their neighborhood, and in some cases, even a security detail. But the service should not use its limited resources on these missions.
The current approach is no longer feasible. If we continue down the present path; overwhelming agents by sending them away from home for long periods, and causing higher attrition rates from the service, we’ll see one of two outcomes. Either the Secret Service will be unable to provide the exceptional personal security that currently defines it, or its agents will make mistakes and a protectee will end up being kidnapped or killed. Neither of those outcomes is acceptable.
Over time, the Secret Service needs more resources. But a major review must be undertaken immediately on whether those currently receiving protection truly need it.
