The US Secret Service is grappling with a major staffing crisis, losing nearly 20% of its veteran agents as overwork, unpaid overtime, and inadequate resources strain the agency.
According to a report by The New York Times, the Secret Service entered 2024 with a depleted workforce, lacking the latest technology and struggling to keep up with growing security demands.
The resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in July followed a near-fatal assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which exposed serious weaknesses in the agency’s readiness.
The agency’s troubles stem largely from an “exodus of the best-trained people,” with 1,400 out of 7,800 agents leaving in the past two years, the largest loss in two decades.
Veterans cited crushing overtime, often unpaid due to federal salary caps, as the primary reason for departing.
Despite efforts to boost its workforce, the Secret Service faces challenges training new hires and is operating with outdated equipment. A scheme to rehire retired agents backfired, as it encouraged early retirements without addressing the field staff shortages.
