Three Secret Service Officials Placed on Leave in Leak Probe
Three U.S. Secret Service officials, including the agency’s communications director Anthony Guglielmi, have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential misconduct related to leaks of classified or sensitive information, according to AP News.
The three non-law-enforcement personnel, all based in the communications office, were escorted from Secret Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday and formally designated “do not admit,” barring them from entering agency facilities. Their security clearances have been stripped, according to RealClearPolitics reporting via MSN.
The Investigation
The probe is being conducted by the Secret Service’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the agency’s internal body that handles misconduct cases. Sources told RealClearPolitics that both the FBI and CIA are participating in the inquiry, suggesting this is more than a routine internal personnel matter.
A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed the administrative leaves but declined to provide details. “Three non-law enforcement personnel at the U.S. Secret Service have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential misconduct,” the spokesperson said, as reported by the New York Post. “Per policy, this incident is being investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility. We are unable to comment further at this time.”
The agency added that it remains “committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in fulfilling our zero-fail mission of protecting the President and other high-level government officials.”
Guglielmi’s Defense
Guglielmi, who was named communications director in March 2022, has retained Maryland attorney Gregg Bernstein. Bernstein defended his client’s record, telling NBC News that “Anthony Guglielmi is a professional of deep integrity whose decades-long public record advocating for local, state and federal agencies speaks for itself.”
“He holds profound respect for the mission and work of the United States Secret Service and is cooperating fully with everything being asked of him,” Bernstein added.
Guglielmi previously served as chief communications officer for Fairfax County, Virginia, Chicago, and Baltimore. He testified before the House Jan. 6 committee in 2022 and has been the agency’s public face during some of its most turbulent moments, including the aftermath of the July 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt on President Trump.
Context: A Pattern of Leak Investigations
The investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Secret Service, which has faced intense criticism since Trump became the target of at least three assassination attempts in two years. The agency has also been dealing with multiple leak-related probes.
In July, a Secret Service agent on Vice President JD Vance’s security detail was placed on administrative leave over allegations of leaking sensitive information to the press, as AP News reported. That investigation was tied to an MS NOW report about agents’ frustrations over last-minute travel requests from Vance and his family.
More significantly, the current probe may be connected to leaks about President Trump’s secret evacuation from Turkey in July, when he was reportedly switched from Air Force One to an alternate military aircraft via a catering truck due to a credible Iranian surface-to-air missile threat. The elaborate ruse, first reported by The Washington Post, involved some staff, Secret Service personnel, and journalists flying on the old model Air Force One while Trump was snuck onto a C-32A military aircraft, as AP News detailed.
Key details about internal security concerns, including the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One’s reported lack of advanced anti-missile systems, were leaked to the public, enraging the White House. The Justice Department subpoenaed New York Times journalists who reported on those concerns, though the subpoenas were later withdrawn.
Broader Agency Turmoil
The Secret Service’s communications office has been at the center of the agency’s public image management during a period of unprecedented scrutiny. Fox News reported that the agency has faced increased scrutiny under Trump’s administration in the wake of three separate assassination attempts against him.
Beyond the leak probes, the agency confirmed this week that it is aware of an Iranian state media video threatening Barron Trump’s life, depicting locations associated with his whereabouts and ending with a suggested $10 million reward for his location.
What’s Next
The Secret Service has not publicly named the other two officials placed on leave, nor has it described the specific nature of the alleged leaks. It remains unclear whether the investigation is connected to the Air Force One/Turkey security leaks, the Vance detail leak, or other disclosures.
The involvement of the FBI and CIA, if confirmed, would elevate this beyond a standard administrative review. The agency’s communications operations will also face questions about continuity during a period when the Secret Service is managing multiple security crises simultaneously.
As the investigation unfolds, the key questions are whether criminal charges will follow, what information was allegedly leaked and to whom, and how this will affect the agency’s already-strained relationship with Congress and the public it serves.