The Secret Service ignored dozens of security incidents, including repeated drone sightings near presidents and candidates, according to Congress’ independent watchdog agency.
The security lapses resulted from outdated Secret Service policies, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office.
One of the policy gaps was for drones, the report said, noting that the policy remained unchanged until after an uncrewed aircraft helped enable the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
The GAO said the Secret Service policy doesn’t require personnel to document their rationale when they determine that an incident doesn’t warrant a protection policy update.
The report recommended that the Secret Service require personnel to document why protection policy updates are not needed after such incidents. Without that documentation, it is sometimes unknown why the Secret Service maintained the status quo.
“For example, the Secret Service encountered drone incidents from 2015 to 2021 but did not update its policies to address civilian use of drones prior to July 2024, when a shooter used a drone in an assassination attempt,” the GAO said. “Revising its policy to require personnel to document the rationale for not making policy changes after incidents would provide the Secret Service with more complete information when considering protection policy updates to mitigate future threats.”
The Secret Service also has not reviewed and updated protection policies in a timely manner, the GAO said.
Policies are to be reviewed and updated within four years of issuance. However, the Secret Service has not reviewed or updated eight of 22 protection policies within the required time frame, according to the review.
In response to the findings, the Secret Service officials told the GAO they tried to make updates in a timely manner, but can’t always find staff available to do the updates.
Since 1991, the Secret Service’s protective division within the State Department has not updated a key memorandum of understanding that delineates the two entities’ roles and responsibilities for securing the president and others traveling abroad, plus foreign dignitaries traveling to the U.S.
“Much has changed over the intervening years, such as the emergence of drone threats, and updating the memorandum would provide the two entities an opportunity to respond to evolving roles, responsibilities, and advance techniques,” the GAO said.
The Washington Times reached out to the Secret Service for comment.
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