Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated on Wednesday that he is confident the agency will fully investigate and address the security failures that led to two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump’s life last year. Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Curran expressed his faith in the agency’s ability to strengthen its operations and prevent future threats.
“I’m confident in the men and women in Secret Service, our partners on the Hill, the secretary and the cooperation from everyone else,” Curran said. “I’m confident in the process.”
Curran gained national recognition following the first assassination attempt on Trump, which took place on July 13, 2024, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A gunman, later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple shots from the rooftop of a nearby building, striking Trump in the ear. Secret Service agents immediately responded, securing the stage as they moved Trump to safety. The attack left one person dead and two others seriously injured before the shooter was neutralized.
Two months later, a second assassination attempt was thwarted when a Secret Service advance agent spotted what appeared to be a rifle emerging from a tree line near Trump’s golf course in Florida. The agent fired at the suspect, causing him to flee. Authorities later identified the individual as Ryan Wesley Routh, who was subsequently charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and having a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Prosecutors allege that on September 15, Routh hid in the bushes outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, armed with a rifle, while Trump was playing golf nearby. Routh’s son, Oran Routh, later pleaded guilty to an unrelated child pornography charge.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran sat down for his first ever interview and told CBS News that he was prepared to protect Trump in prison if things turned out differently.
“Look, if it came to it, I’d be sitting right next to him,” he said. “That’s how much I care for him.… pic.twitter.com/XaBkCJku2Y
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) February 26, 2025
Curran, who was leading the presidential security detail before his appointment as Secret Service director, described the Butler incident as a defining moment for both the agency and the country.
“It’s often hard to express that,” he said, acknowledging the impact of the event on his career and the agency’s future.
He also emphasized the agency’s commitment to protecting high-profile figures, particularly in the face of evolving security threats from foreign actors. Curran noted that the agency is taking additional steps to enhance intelligence operations and better respond to threats, including those posed by the Iranian government.
“It’s one of the reasons why I brought in an outside expert from the intelligence community to take a look at our intelligence apparatus,” Curran said. “I feel that strongly about what we’re doing and where I want to take our intelligence divisions, too.”
Secret Service Director Sean Curran tells @seanhannity how his life has changed since the failed assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/88v3Rmp3Zt
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 27, 2025
The Secret Service has faced heightened scrutiny following the assassination attempts, prompting a renewed focus on recruitment and preparedness. Earlier this month, the agency launched a high-profile recruitment campaign to attract new agents. The ad, directed by filmmaker Michael Bay, aired during the Super Bowl and was designed to boost hiring amid broader federal job cuts.
The agency continues to review security protocols and intelligence strategies in response to recent events, while federal officials assess ongoing threats to Trump and other high-profile individuals. The Supreme Court’s handling of legal cases related to presidential security and executive authority remains a focal point as the political climate intensifies ahead of the next election.
