Trump Will Appoint Sean Curran to Lead US Secret Service

U.S. Secret Service agents rush to protect Former President Donald Trump after shots were fired during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump will appoint Sean Curran, the U.S. Secret Service special agent in charge of his personal protective detail, to lead the agency as its director, according to multiple reports.

Curran, in his current role, supervises all Secret Service agents and assets assigned to protect Trump and travels with him everywhere. He is constantly in close proximity to Trump, usually a few steps behind him, and travels with him in his armored vehicle. Curran was one of the first Secret Service agents to jump on stage and shield Trump on July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a would-be assassin attempted to shoot him, and was captured in photography of the event. On Jan. 17, members of the Trump family announced that Curran would be Trump’s appointee to serve as Director of the U.S. Secret Service, which does not require the Senate’s advice or consent.

“President Trump will be naming Sean Curran, who heads his personal detail, to be Secret Service Director,” wrote Donald Trump, Jr., the president-elect’s eldest son and honorary co-chair of the Trump-Vance Transition, on X. “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!”

Many elected officials of both the Democratic and Republican parties have criticized the Secret Service for failing to prevent the would-be assassins from bringing firearms within range of Trump in the two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign. In the case of the first attempt, several bullets were fired at Trump and one grazed his right ear. One audience member was killed and two others were hospitalized in the incident. The second attempt occurred on Sept. 15 at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Currently, an independent review process, ordered by President Joe Biden after the first attempt, is underway. Members of Congress have demanded changes to the leadership of the Secret Service after the incidents. The agency’s former director, Kimberly Ann Cheatle, resigned after bipartisan criticism from the House of Representatives’ Oversight and Accountability Committee in July.

Little is known publicly about Curran other than his employment by the Secret Service and leadership of Trump’s detail.

Republican officeholders praised the announcement, which has not been announced by Trump on his platform TruthSocial.

“Sean Curran is an excellent choice for Secret Service Director,” wrote Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) on X. “We need leadership by example in so many areas of government and he exemplifies that. Americans are looking forward to the much-needed changes he will bring to the Secret Service.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) echoed the sentiment.

“Sean Curran helped save President Trump’s life when he was shot in the head in Butler. Now he will be the director of the Secret Service!” Boebert wrote on X. “This is incredible news.”

Karoline Leavitt, the designated White House press secretary and a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.