Secret Service Faces Review As Agency Fails To Learn Lessons From Butler

Sean Curran was the hero of Butler after he leapt to protect President Donald Trump during the assassination attempt at the Pennsylvania rally in July 2024. Now, as head of the Secret Service, he is facing White House scrutiny over whether the agency has fully learned the lessons of that incident in protecting the president.

The administration has praised the work of the agency following Saturday's shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, during which an armed individual attempted to enter the ballroom, forcing attendees-including President Trump-to be evacuated.

The suspect-31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen-has been charged in connection with an alleged attempt to assassinate the president, as well as weapons and assault-related offenses.

The White House will be launching a review of protocols in the wake of the incident, which saw one federal agent injured and has raised concerns over whether the agency is prepared for what is set to be a busy year of public appearances for the president and his administration.

A Secret Service spokesperson told Newsweek that while existing security protocols “proved effective,” the agency expects “enhancements” to be enacted “at every level.”

Why the Review Matters Now

Trump is set to appear at a number of events through the remainder of 2026, including those related to the U.S.-co-hosted FIFA World Cup and celebrations around the country's 250th anniversary, meaning concerns over the preparedness of his security team were already high before Saturday's suspected assassination attempt-the third targeting Trump within two years.

The head of the Secret Service resigned after the Butler assassination attempt amid a backlash over how a gunman was in that case able to wound the president. Trump later appointed Curran as the agency's director in January of last year, while praising "his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin’s bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania."

However, as the head of the agency, Curran may now have to answer questions about potential security shortcomings at Saturday's event, and whether the service is fully prepared to protect the president.

What Is Being Reviewed

Shortly after being escorted from the ballroom on Saturday night, Trump hailed the "fantastic job" carried out by Secret Service and law enforcement, saying both "acted quickly and bravely" to prevent the suspect from reaching the room where the dinner was taking place.

During an impromptu press conference that evening, Trump was asked whether he had any concerns about the capabilities of his security team, but he said he was "very impressed by Secret Service."

Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said that the incident demonstrated the "strength of our layered security posture."

However, some former agents and officials have criticized the response of Secret Service.

"This should've been the most secure perimeter in the world. And the fact that the guy made it through the mags [magnetometers] underscores the epic failure of the U.S. Secret Service in protecting the president," said one anonymous source, described as "familiar with presidential security protocols," speaking to RealClearPolitics.

Former Secret Service Agent Richard Starapoli told U.K. newspaper The Times that the suspect "should never have been able to reach that point," describing the event at the Washington Hilton as a "disaster in the making."

Other ex-agents have praised the actions of the agency, however, with Bill Gage telling PBS that Secret Service's multiple-perimeter security model worked in this case. However, he said that the agency would nevertheless make immediate changes "to the protective model."

Security expert Fred Burton, a former Secret Service officer and special agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, told Newsweek that there were "many unknowns" around Saturday's incident, including whether the suspect was previously known to the agency.

Burton said that the evacuation of officials and the response by the Secret Service's Counter Assault Team was "spot on," but described the "tempo of attacks" on the president as "highly troubling."

He added that, going forward, the agency would likely station officers ahead of magnetometers-which the suspect was able to run through-and consider deploying additional security dog teams.

White House Backs Review

Administration officials have also noted the need for a review of the event and possible changes to existing security protocols.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that there would be a meeting at the White House, convened by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and involving both Secret Service and Homeland Security personnel, to "ensure the safety and security of the president."

"If adjustments need to be made to protect the president, they will be made," she said.

“The meeting will discuss the processes and procedures that worked to stop Saturday’s attempt, while exploring additional options to ensure all relevant components are doing everything possible to secure the many major events planned for President Trump in the months ahead,” according to one official who spoke with the BBC.

“While the protective model for [the] White House Correspondents' Dinner event proved effective, the key takeaway for future events is that enhancements should be expected at every level, as that is how the model is designed to function,” Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi told Newsweek.

“Every protective decision is driven by intelligence amid a dynamic and currently elevated threat environment. We are actively focused on identifying the trigger for this incident and fully understanding the factors that led to it.”

What Happens Next

Leavitt said that the review at the White House would take place "early this week," and that any amendments to existing protocols would not be made public.

"The Secret Service does not detail their procedures or operations to the public for obvious reasons, because you have crazy people who try to hijack them and get around them. So, these conversations will take place in private," she said.

Separately, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, president pro tempore of the Senate, held a meeting with Curran on Monday. Grassley said that the agency would be “closely reviewing its security posture,” and thanked officials for their “ongoing work.”

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:43 AM.