05/21/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/21/2025 14:49
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) penned an op-ed for Newsweek, following National Police Week, highlighting the unprecedented turnaround of the United States Secret Service (USSS) under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and USSS Director Sean Curran.
Read the op-ed HERE or below:
"As National Police Week came and went, it's likely that few recognized the most incredible law enforcement success story of the year: the unprecedented turnaround of the United States Secret Service.
In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term, the Secret Service has seen its recruitment numbers skyrocket by nearly 200 percent. From January 20 to May 1 of 2024, there were approximately 7,000 applicants to the Secret Service. In the same period in 2025, that number spiked to 22,000. It seems evident that more Americans are determined to join now than ever before.
What can explain that unprecedented jump in interest in the Secret Service?
It's simple: The Trump administration is reaffirming its support for law enforcement at every level-and it made a sharp U-turn from President Joe Biden's priorities and policies.
The Biden administration chose to focus on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and other bogus initiatives at the expense of merit throughout the federal government. The Trump administration is focused on excellence-and making sure nothing stands in the way of the mission.
Of course, the Secret Service has always had a zero-fail objective. Yet, we saw last summer how that mission became compromised by poor leadership and resulted in President Trump nearly being assassinated-twice.
The failure wasn't necessarily the fault of the agents on the ground; in fact, they acted heroically, despite glaring negligence and distraction from mission in Biden-appointed leadership. Success starts from the top down. When you have a president like Biden, who places everything other than the mission first, disaster is a question of when, not if.
That was proven last July when multiple security oversights allowed a crazed gunman to take shots at President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Only by a last-second miracle-and I do mean miracle-did President Trump turn his head and narrowly avoid the shot.
As the dust settled, Americans were left asking, "who allowed this to happen?"
Ultimately, disgraced Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle resigned after bipartisan criticism for the security failure. Four agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office were reassigned or put on leave. Reports suggested President Trump had a less qualified team to protect him due to the more elite agents being assigned to First Lady Jill Biden that same day.
We still don't have all the answers, but we do have some ideas. Why was there such incompetence? Again, blame the so-called leaders from the previous administration.
Many critics argued that the Biden administration's focus on DEI led the Secret Service to hiring more agents based on their identity rather than their qualifications. And whistleblowers confirmed that agents had been receiving insufficient training.
Once in office, President Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem were determined to reverse that malaise and restore the respect the Secret Service once had.
As one of his first actions back in the Oval Office, President Trump appointed Sean Curran-the head of his personal detail who was on stage with him during the Butler assassination attempt-as the new Secret Service director.
Under Director Curran's leadership, the Trump administration has reassessed the Secret Service's needs, and is abandoning racial discrimination and woke ideology. Recruitment is now focusing on those whose experience will most contribute to helping the agency achieve its zero-fail mission, not fulfill some diversity quota. Once again, the Secret Service is focused on hiring the best of the best.
DEI is dead at DHS and merit is being restored under President Trump and Secretary Noem.
What matters is not agents' skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristics; what matters is the agent's ability to accomplish the mission and commitment to live out the Secret Service's core virtues of justice, courage, loyalty, honesty, and duty.
As the Trump administration reaffirms its support for law enforcement, it is also encouraging more Americans to join law enforcement than ever before. This includes the Secret Service, which last month launched a viral recruitment campaign. The video features DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer who was made an honorary Secret Service agent. Ads like this one send a clear message: Being a member of law enforcement is not only supported, but encouraged. It's cool to be in uniform again.
This shift is nothing short of monumental; confidence in this crucial agency has been restored, more Americans are determined to join than ever before, and recruitment rates nearly doubled.
When we focus on the pursuit of greatness, not politics or racial discrimination, Americans flock to be a part of it. We desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
The historic turnaround of the Secret Service under President Trump, Secretary Noem, and Director Curran proves it."