Editorial: Secret Service will be shaped by events in Butler
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The Butler Farm Show grounds shooting will have a lasting impact on the U.S. Secret Service.
That was evident from the moment the first shot rang out and when Donald Trump clutched his ear.
Few Secret Service-protected events have body counts. Buffalo Township firefighter Corey Comperatore was not there to be safeguarded by the federal agents — but failures at the political rally with security and communication are why he died protecting his family.
It has been clear from the first congressional hearing into the assassination attempt by Thomas Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park that things went disastrously wrong. When weeks later a second assassination attempt was foiled in Florida, that was underscored.
Trump went on to win the general election and will be sworn into office for a second term Monday. The past week has been largely devoted to the changing of the guard from the Biden administration, including confirmation hearings for Cabinet members.
Confirmation is required for positions like secretaries of State, Defense and Homeland Security. Other positions, however, require legislative branch approval. One of those has historically been director of the Secret Service — although U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, has introduced a bill that would change that.
But right now, the position is up to presidential appointment. Kimberly Cheatle resigned from the position in the wake of the Trump assassination attempt. Since then, the role has been filled by acting replacement Ronald L. Rowe Jr.
That is expected to change with Trump’s inauguration. On Friday, the president-elect’s son Donald Trump Jr. signaled where his father might look for the next director. It is among those who were with him in Butler.
Sean Curran is a special agent in change on Trump’s detail. Presidents maintain protection after they leave office, and Trump also was entitled to protection as a major party candidate in 2024.
“Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!” Trump Jr. shared on X.
This is a position where trust and skill are important. Trump clearly has trust. Curran would not be in the position he is with a presidential protection detail if he did not have skill. It seems like a good marriage.
But it is also an example of how a moment in time can change things.
Abraham Lincoln signed a bill into law on April 14, 1865. It created the Secret Service — then an organization dedicated to addressing counterfeiting. A few hours later, he was shot at Ford’s Theater and would die the next day. That swipe of a pen mattered.
In 1901, after the assassination of William McKinley, the wheels were set in motion to make the Secret Service the agency tasked with providing presidential protection.
Whether Curran takes the reins or not, the congressional hearings and bipartisan House task force that have delved into what happened July 13 have made one thing certain. A small town in Pennsylvania will leave its fingerprints on a federal agency.