Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 3
GAO Urges Secret Service to Update 1991 Security Protocols After 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 3

GAO Urges Secret Service to Update 1991 Security Protocols After 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt

1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 3

Summary

  • The Government Accountability Office said Thursday the Secret Service should revise protection procedures for the president and U.S. officials traveling abroad, citing protocols that have not changed since 1991.
  • The review found the agency had encountered drones for years without updating its policies, a gap thrown into sharper focus by the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
  • The recommendation points to long-standing weaknesses in how the Secret Service adapts security rules to newer threats, especially around evolving technology and overseas travel protection.

Insights

Why did it take a major 2024 security breach to force the Secret Service to update 30-year-old drone defense protocols?
How can a premier security agency protect global leaders when its agents rely on unsecure personal phones for critical overseas missions?