If you’ve noticed more Secret Service agents on the streets or heard about new faces getting protection, you’re not alone. In 2025, the United States Secret Service is more visible—and more essential—than ever before. What started as a small bureau fighting counterfeiters has grown into a powerhouse agency at the heart of America’s security apparatus.
The Expanding Protective Mission
The Secret Service was established in 1865, not to protect presidents, but to rescue the nation’s fragile economy from a flood of phony money. Then, almost half of all the money circulating was fake and was endangering the very existence of the U.S. financial system. The Secret Service says its original mandate was to stabilize America’s finances by eradicating counterfeiting.
But all that was going to change in 1901 when President William McKinley was assassinated. The Secret Service had a new, high-wire act: safeguard the president. In the decades to follow, the workload has mushroomed. Today, the agency not only protects presidents and vice presidents, but also their families, foreign visiting heads of state, top contenders, and others as directed by law or executive order. The Secret Service also secures National Special Security Events (NSSEs), such as presidential inaugurations, major summits, and state funerals, to name a few.
Leadership Spotlight: Director Sean M. Curran
Shepherding this complex operation is Director Sean M. Curran, sworn in January 2025. Curran has over two decades of experience under his belt, including security command for the 2024 Presidential Campaign and coordination of top-level events involving the coordination of thousands of staff and millions in assets. As noted by the Secret Service, Curran’s career has progressed from field operations to commanding the Presidential Protective Division. His management style is characterized by innovation, adaptability, and a responsive appreciation for both operational and manpower issues.
High-Profile Security Operations
Secret Service work never shines more brightly than at large national events. The January 2025 60th Presidential Inauguration was a prime example. The event was declared an NSSE, which coalesced federal, state, and local partners under the direction of the Secret Service. Guided by District of Columbia and federal partners, the security plan featured blanket road closures, high-visibility patrols, and collaboration with agencies such as the FBI and Capitol Police. The objective: to provide protectees’, dignitaries’, and the public’s safety in a city reshaped by barriers and checkpoints.
And it’s not only inaugurations. The July 2024 NATO Summit did the same for the Secret Service, putting it at the center of a gigantic security effort. The agency coordinated with local law enforcement, the FBI, and emergency responders to guard sites and orchestrate everything from traffic to the sharing of intelligence. As the Washington Field Office of the Secret Service described, those events take meticulous planning, continuous communication, and the capacity to react to whatever threat.
Securing More Than Just Presidents
Perhaps the most shocking trend of 2025 is extending Secret Service protection to other types of high-profile individuals. In a not uncommon but still unusual move, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has recently been given a Secret Service detail. This followed conservative activist Charlie Kirk getting shot, which fueled more debate over the security of public officials. As CBS News reported, Leavitt’s new protective detail demonstrates increased concern for the safety of high-profile communicators.
Only the president and vice president are legally required to receive protection from the Secret Service, though others, such as cabinet members, prominent candidates, and sometimes press secretaries, are granted protection based on threat analysis or executive order. Even additional appropriations to expand these protections are being proposed by Congress, indicating the changing risk climate for government officials.
Collaboration and Innovation
How does the Secret Service remain one step ahead of such a large mission? The solution is partnership and ongoing innovation. The agency has very close relationships with local law enforcement, the military, and other federal agencies. For big events, the Secret Service establishes unified command centers, enables intelligence sharing, and makes use of innovative security technology. Under the Secret Service, they are allowed to be armed, execute warrants, and even make arrests, but they also depend on the military and local law enforcement for everything from bomb removal to communications.
The agency boasts a powerful workforce: over 8,200 uniformed officers, agents, and technical experts. That workforce is evolving constantly to address new threats, whether that’s revising security procedures to keep pace with cyber attacks or rethinking how officials must be protected in an increasingly polarized political environment.
The Road Ahead
With America confronted by new threats to security, the Secret Service leads the way—guarding not only the president, but the very essence of national life. Whether it’s a celebrity inauguration, an international leaders’ summit, or the day-to-day guarding of officials, the agency’s job has never been more challenging or crucial. With leadership like Sean M. Curran’s vision and a dynamic culture of teamwork and creativity, the Secret Service remains at the forefront, safeguarding America’s most critical citizens—and moments.
