Trump appoints agent from assassination attempt as Secret Service director

Sean Curran, an agent who famously protected Donald Trump during an attempted assassination in July 2024 has been chosen to lead the Secret Service, against agency advise

US President Donald Trump has nominated Sean Curran, a Secret Service agent who protected him during an attempted assassination in 2024, as the next director of the United States Secret Service. The announcement came on Wednesday, just days after Trump’s inauguration for a second term as the 47th US president.

 

“Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service,” Trump said in a post on his platform Truth Social.

 

Curran, who currently leads Trump’s personal security detail, gained widespread recognition after the events at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. During the incident, a gunman opened fire at the rally, grazing Trump’s ear. Curran, along with other agents, swiftly intervened to shield the then-candidate and escort him offstage.

 

Iconic photographs from the incident were widely circulated which showed Curran, wearing sunglasses, standing resolutely to Trump’s right as the bloodied Republican raised a fist.

 

Who is Sean Curran?

Curran began his Secret Service career in 2001 as a special agent in the agency’s Newark field office. Over time, he rose through the ranks, serving as the assistant special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division during Trump’s first term.

 

Trump commended Curran for his leadership and courage, particularly during the dramatic events of July 2024, when a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attack resulted in a bullet grazing Trump’s ear. Curran, leading the security response, swiftly moved to protect the then Presidential candidate.

 

“Sean has distinguished himself as a brilliant leader, who is capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country, and the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin’s bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before.”

 

Secret Service scrutiny after shooting

The agency faced intense criticism following the Butler rally shooting, which exposed vulnerabilities in its security protocols. The incident was compounded by another breach in September 2024, when an alleged would-be assassin managed to bring a firearm near the perimeter of Trump’s golf club in Florida. The individual was apprehended before Trump was in proximity.

 

These incidents raised questions about the Secret Service’s ability to ensure the safety of high-profile figures, ultimately leading to the resignation of former Director Kimberly Cheatle in late July 2024.

 

Controversial nomination

Curran’s nomination has sparked debate as it contradicts recommendations from a recent review into Secret Service operations. The review, conducted following the 2024 assassination attempt, advised appointing a director with extensive experience outside the organisation to address perceived institutional shortcomings.

 

Nevertheless, Curran’s nomination highlights Trump’s emphasis on loyalty and trust, traits he has often prioritised when making key appointments, including ones in his cabinet.