CBS News
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Norah O'Donnell, Pat Milton, Michael Rey
Story summary
The United States Secret Service, established in 1865, now faces unprecedented threats due to advancements like autonomous attack drones. In December 2023, during the Army-Navy game in Baltimore where President Trump and other dignitaries were present, the agency intercepted a drone using electronic jamming equipment. Sean Curran, the 28th director of the Secret Service with 25 years of experience, reported to CBS's "60 Minutes" that threats against protectees have surged by over 40% since January, particularly targeting President Trump who has faced more assassination attempts than any other president. The agency intercepted 10,000 threats between January and the time of the interview, underscoring the heightened security challenges in the modern threat environment.
Written for “Secret Service Threats Rise” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The United States Secret Service was created 161 years ago when Abraham Lincoln signed it into law.
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Lincoln → create → law
That same day he was fatally wounded by an assassin.
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he → wound → assassin
Since then the service's mission has evolved from catching counterfeiters to protecting the lives of presidents, their families, and other top officials.
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mission → evolve → presidents
The U.S. is a country that feels on edge.
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that → feel → edge
The Secret Service told us the number of threats is way up against its protectees, especially President Trump.
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number → tell → protectees
So we wanted to speak to the director of the agency, Sean Curran.
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we → want → agency
He's been an agent for 25 years and is now leading the Secret Service that's in the line of fire.
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that → lead → fire
How would you describe the current threat environment in this country?
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you → describe → country
It's like we've never seen before.
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we → see → ?
He told us that since January there have been 10,000 threats on the people they protect.
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they → tell → people
Curran and his deputy director, Matthew Quinn spoke to 60 Minutes in their first joint interview.
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Curran → speak → interview
What's driving that?
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What → drive → that
Look, I think a lot of it has to do with the internet.
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lot → look → internet
Is that in some way leading to the increase in these threats?
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that → lead → threats
We're here to protect who we're-- we're sworn to protect.
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we → protect → who
Look, I would say there's people on both sides of the aisle that either love or hate any president.
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that → look → president
I think the biggest factor we're dealing with today is-- mental health issues for sure.
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we → think → ?
And more people are being pushed over the edge in either direction.
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people → push → direction
You know, social media changes people.
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media → know → people
Do more threats come from the left or right?
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threats → come → left
We don't weigh it that way.
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We → weigh → it
We-- we just look at, you know, who-- who is, you know, making a threat.
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you → look → threat
We investigate it.
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We → investigate → it
We run it down, each and every threat.
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We → run → it
Research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies showed a spike in incidents - at the local and national level - from the left in 2025.
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Research → show → 2025
This year that trend has reversed with more attacks coming from the right so far.
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attacks → reverse → right
Eight months into a war with Iran, the threats from outside the country are also growing.
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threats → grow → country
They have vowed revenge.
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They → vow → revenge
How do you deal with that when you're in charge of protecting the president?
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you → deal → president
Turn on the TV and you can see the funeral where there are massive banners saying "Kill President Trump."
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you → turn → Trump
So do we recognize the threat environment has increased?
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environment → recognize → ?
How we do it and how we change-- that's where we prefer to stay in the-- in the background.
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we → do → background
Few people know the risks more than Director Curran - who just two years ago was the lead agent protecting President Trump when he was campaigning on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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he → know → Butler
Curran was among the agents who shielded President Trump when Thomas Crooks fired eight rounds at the stage from a rooftop 155 yards away.
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Crooks → shield → rooftop
You've not talked a lot about what happened in Butler, until now.
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what → talk → Butler
I haven't really reflected on it.
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I → reflect → it
I've kept myself busy.
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I → keep → myself
I've-- I've just worked and worked.
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I → work → ?
I've gone from assignment to assignment so that I've probably taken my mind off of it.
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I → go → it
It's what we train to do.
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we → train → what
…and 91 more, not listed.
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