Agent's alleged attempt to smuggle wife on Trump's Scotland trip being probed in latest Secret Service fiasco
Trump told reporters that he had just heard about the alleged incident, which he labeled a "weird deal" and said that the agency was handling the matter.
"I don't know, that's a strange one. I just heard that two minutes ago. I think Sean's taking care of it … Is that a serious story?" Trump told reporters on Air Force One Tuesday, appearing to reference Sean Curran, Secret Service director.
"I don't want to get involved, it's a strange story," Trump said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on whether Trump had been briefed on the matter or on the investigation.
Real Clear Politics first reported that a Secret Service agent attempted to smuggle his wife aboard a Secret Service cargo aircraft during Trump's travels for his Scotland trip.
When asked about the report, the Secret Service told Fox News Digital a personnel investigation is underway.
"The U.S. Secret Service is conducting a personnel investigation after an employee attempted to invite his spouse - a member of the United States Air Force - aboard a mission support flight," a Secret Service spokesperson said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital.
"The aircraft, operated by the U.S. Air Force, was being used by the Secret Service to transport personnel and equipment," the spokesperson said. "Prior to the overseas departure, the employee was advised by supervisors that such action was prohibited, and the spouse was subsequently prevented from taking the flight. No Secret Service protectees were aboard and there was no impact to our overseas protective operations."
The Secret Service has come under scrutiny following the aftermath of the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In that incident, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight bullets at Trump from a rooftop during a campaign rally. One bullet grazed Trump's ear, and the gunman killed Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter, father and husband attending the rally.
Additionally, another man was apprehended and charged months later with attempting to assassinate Trump at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Both incidents are under investigation, and a bipartisan House task force that investigated the Pennsylvania attack determined the episode was "preventable," and that various mistakes were not an isolated incident.
Since these episodes, the Secret Service has implemented a host of changes to its agency to beef up its security practices.
Specific steps taken include expanding the use of drones for surveillance purposes, and overhauling its radio communications networks and their interoperability with Secret Service personnel, and state and local law enforcement officers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 soldiers wounded by fellow soldier in workplace shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia; suspect in custody, officials say
The alleged shooter, identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, was quickly "subdued" by other soldiers, Brig. Gen. John Lubas told reporters. Five soldiers were shot and wounded on Wednesday at a U.S. Army base in Georgia by a fellow soldier in a workplace shooting that prompted a lockdown, officials there say. In a post on its Facebook page, Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield said the shooting occurred in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area shortly before 11 a.m. local time. The alleged shooter was identified as Quornelius Radford, an automated logistics sergeant assigned to the 2nd Brigade Team. At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division said Radford was quickly "subdued" by fellow soldiers before law enforcement arrived. "Soldiers in the area that witnessed the shooting immediately, and without hesitation, tackled the soldier, subdued him, and allowed law enforcement to then take him into custody," Lubas said. "These soldiers without a doubt prevented further casualties." All five of the victims were transported to the hospital in stable condition, Lubas said. Three of the victims required surgery, and all are expected to recover. According to Lubas, the shooting occurred at Radford's place of work and involved his co-workers, but he would not speculate on a motive. Lubas said that Radford used a personal handgun, and that the incident remains under investigation. In an earlier alert announcing the lockdown, Fort Stewart said multiple 'casualties" had been reported in what was described as "an active shooter incident." Gates to the base were closed for several hours, and some schools in the area were briefly placed on lockdown. Fort Stewart, which is located about 40 miles southwest of Savannah, is home to about 10,000 people, including soldiers, family members and civilian employees, live there, according to its website. The FBI in Atlanta said on X that its office in Savannah was aware of the incident and "coordinating with Army Criminal Investigation Division for any assistance that might be needed." President Trump was briefed on the shooting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp wrote on X that he was "in close contact with law enforcement on the ground," adding that his family was "saddened by today's tragedy." "We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same," Kemp said.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Congress members trying to see ICE detainees at MDC Brooklyn jail barred from entry
NEW YORK — Officials at MDC Brooklyn barred three Democrat members of Congress from conducting an oversight visit of the jail's ICE detention operation, sparking a brief lockdown that led to cancelled legal visits for inmates seeing their defense lawyers. The Congress members, Reps. Adriano Espaillat, Nydia Velazquez and Dan Goldman, showed up at the notorious Sunset Park jail Wednesday morning, but were blocked at the door, then were briefly trapped between the iron gate in front of the jail and its entrance doors. Inside, about 20 defense attorneys visiting their clients abruptly had those visits cut short, multiple lawyers told the Daily News. Jail staff recalled those inmates back to their housing units, and wouldn't let their lawyers leave the MDC for about a half hour as the drama unfolded outside, the attorneys said. Those lawyers included Marc Agnifilo, who represents Sean 'Diddy' Combs and alleged healthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione, both of whom are housed in MDC, sources said. Agnifilo did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday. 'We were trapped between the gate and the building,' Velazquez told The News. She said that the lawmakers entered the gate and approached the place's front door, and Espaillat asked a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent outside to show his face. 'He [the agent] immediately jumped in front of the gate and locked us inside, and then went upstairs, climbed the steps for the federal building and locked the door so we could not get out to the street,' Velazquez said. 'We couldn't get into the building.' New York Immigration Coalition President Murad Awawdeh, who accompanied the lawmakers, said the ICE agent immediately confronted them, asking for ID, then triggered a lockdown and disappeared into the building. 'It was a circus that the federal prison bureau created,' he said. 'Why is the federal government going so far out of its way to prohibit anyone from seeing what's happening inside their facilities?' Eventually, an assistant to the warden came out, 'and he said what we knew he would say, that we have to request seven days in advance for a permit to allow us to go inside,' Velazquez said. That's against federal law, which gives Congress members the right to make unannounced visits, she said. Starting in June, MDC Brooklyn began holding more than 100 ICE detainees as part of an interagency agreement between ICE and and the Bureau of Prisons to use eight federal facilities across the country to hold immigrants ensnared in Donald Trump's mass deportation machine. 'Denying Members of Congress access to a federal detention facility is outrageous and unacceptable,' Espaillat said in a statement later Wednesday. 'MDC Brooklyn has a well-documented record of abuse. ICE should not be allowed to expand its reach through backdoor deals with federal prisons. This contract must be terminated now.' BOP spokeswoman Randilee Giamusso said Wednesday that the prison system would be happy to accommodate Congress member visits if they give advance notice. 'However, as a law enforcement entity, we must prioritize the safety of our staff, inmates and our facilities. We remain committed to working with our congressional partners,' Giamusso said. 'With proper notice, the BOP is happy to accommodate a request for a site visit from any congressional member.' Espaillat and several other Congress members sued the Trump administration last week, arguing that federal law specifically prohibits immigration detention facilities from requiring prior notice before members of Congress can make oversight visits. 'The Trump administration's lawless efforts to defy that constitutional authority are a gross abuse of power,' Goldman said, 'and we're taking them to court in defense of that principle and to find out what they're hiding.' _____
Fast Company
23 minutes ago
- Fast Company
Trump accuses banks of political discrimination. Here's what to know
The White House was preparing to act against banks for allegedly dropping customers for political reasons, as President Donald Trump said he believes that banks, including JPMorgan and Bank of America, had discriminated against him and his supporters. A draft of the executive order, which was reviewed by Reuters, instructs regulators to review banks for 'politicized or unlawful debanking' practices. The order could authorize monetary penalties or other disciplinary measures against violators. It is likely to be announced as early as this week, two industry sources said. The White House had no immediate comment on the reported order. Trump's criticism adds pressure on America's largest lenders, but it also shows how the president's personal slights and business interests are getting reflected in the administration's policies — something that critics say raises issues of conflicts of interest. The sprawling Trump business empire has been placed into a trust, but it is still ultimately owned by the president. An executive order against the banks would come after Trump said in a CNBC interview on Tuesday that the country's top two lenders had previously rejected his deposits. Trump said, without providing evidence, that the banks' refusal to take his deposits indicated that the administration of former President Joe Biden had encouraged regulators to 'destroy Trump.' 'They did discriminate,' Trump said of actions taken by JPMorgan after his first term in office. 'I had hundreds of millions, I had many, many accounts loaded up with cash … and they told me, 'I'm sorry sir, we can't have you. You have 20 days to get out.' 'They totally discriminate against, I think, me maybe even more, but they discriminate against many conservatives,' he said. Trump said he subsequently tried to deposit funds with Bank of America and was also refused, and eventually split the cash. 'I ended up going to small banks all over the place,' he said. 'I was putting $10 million here, $10 million there, did $5 million, $10 million, $12 million,' he said, without naming the lenders. In a statement, JPMorgan did not address the president's specific claims about his account. 'We don't close accounts for political reasons, and we agree with President Trump that regulatory change is desperately needed,' JPMorgan said. 'We commend the White House for addressing this issue and look forward to working with them to get this right.' BofA also did not address Trump's specific claims. 'Reputational risk' issue During Biden's administration, regulators were able to scrutinize banks' decisions on the basis of reputational risks, a source familiar with the matter said. Lenders were under intense scrutiny and pressure to weigh reputational risks when dealing with Trump because of his legal woes, another source familiar with the situation said. JPMorgan continues to have a banking relationship with members of the Trump family that dates back years, and it also banks a number of campaign accounts linked to Trump, the source said. After Trump took power, the Federal Reserve announced in June it was directing its supervisors to no longer consider reputational risk when examining banks, a metric that had been a focus of industry complaints. 'What the White House is doing is telling the banks not to hide behind regulations to deny loans or banking relationships,' said Wells Fargo bank analyst Mike Mayo. 'Banks can use their normal underwriting standards and deny services, but not blame regulators or use reputational risk as a justification.' BofA said it welcomed the administration's efforts to clarify the policies. 'We've provided detailed proposals and will continue to work with the administration and Congress to improve the regulatory framework,' the bank said. Trump in January admonished the CEOs of JPMorgan and BofA for denying services to conservatives. At the time, the two banks denied making banking decisions based on politics. 'Regulatory overreach' Banks have consistently argued that any complaints about 'debanking' should be aimed at regulators, as they argue onerous rules and overzealous bank supervisors can discourage them from engaging in certain activities. 'The heart of the problem is regulatory overreach and supervisory discretion,' the Bank Policy Institute, an industry group, said in a statement. Lenders have held discussions around debanking and weighed scenarios around a potential order, the first source said. Banks are also hopeful the administration may change anti-money laundering laws that they say are outdated and burdensome, the source added.
