CBS News
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Norah O'Donnell, Pat Milton, Michael Rey
The Secret Service is developing new drone defense technologies to address evolving security threats, specifically mentioning swarm attacks as a significant concern. Deputy Director Matthew Quinn and Director Sean Curran discuss how technological advancements like those seen in Ukraine could pose dangers at home, necessitating proactive measures. The agency has already used jamming equipment during the December Army-Navy game when drones were detected. Additionally, Secret Service protectees faced 10,000 threats this year, marking a 40% increase from last year, with mental health issues and internet accessibility cited as contributing factors to these heightened risks.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The Secret Service is working out how to handle threats that have evolved beyond a lone gunman to attack drones.
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that → work → drones
Deputy Director Matthew Quinn is leading the agency's new multimillion-dollar program to develop offensive and defensive drone capabilities.
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Quinn → lead → capabilities
Among the new tools in the agency's arsenal is an artificial intelligence and radar-guided drone hunter, which disables enemy drones and captures them with a net.
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which → guide → net
"Swarms are a huge problem and a big threat," Quinn said.
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Quinn → say → ?
"I'd love to tell you the swarm problem is solved.
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problem → love → you
I will tell you that at the White House, White House is the safest place on Earth."
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House → tell → Earth
The war in Ukraine has become a
.
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war → become → Ukraine
And that hasn't gone unnoticed by the Secret Service.
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that → go → Service
"We know that technology is going to hit the homeland at some point," Quinn said.
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Quinn → know → point
"So we're using lessons learned there to build our program and make sure we're ahead of it before it gets here.
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it → use → it
"
It's about planning ahead, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said.
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Curran → plan → ?
"We have to assume that it's possible," Curran said.
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Curran → have → ?
"The second we're not, we're going to get caught flat-footed."
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we → go → ?
The concern is that a small, rudimentary drone could be weaponized with explosives and do serious damage to a large concert, sporting event or campaign rally.
uncertain
drone → weaponize → concert
60 Minutes has learned the Secret Service used electronic jamming equipment to take down a drone at the December Army-Navy game, where the president and members of Congress were in attendance.
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president → learn → attendance
Confronting a rise in threats to protectees
The Secret Service is confronting both new types and a rising number of threats.
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Service → confront → threats
There have been 10,000 threats made against Secret Service protectees so far this year; it's a 40% year over year increase in cases involving full-time protectees, according to Curran.
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it → make → Curran
"I think a lot of it has to do with the internet," he said.
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he → think → internet
"You know, people are more accessible.
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people → know → ?
Mr. Trump, one of the most polarizing political figures in American history, has survived several attempts on his life, including at a
, at his , and at the ."I would say there's people on both sides of the aisle that either love or hate any president.
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that → survive → president
I think the biggest factor we're dealing with today is mental health issues for sure," Quinn said.
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Quinn → think → ?
"More people are being pushed over the edge in either direction."
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people → push → direction
The agency doesn't look at which side of the political aisle threats come from, Curran said.
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Curran → look → aisle
Research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization, showed a spike in incidents 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
The Secret Service is also dealing with threats coming from outside the country, including threats from
.
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Service → deal → threats
Top leaders there have vowed revenge against the U.S. for the killing of their supreme leader.
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leaders → vow → leader
"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 → ?
Absolutely," Quinn said.
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Quinn → say → ?
"How we do it and how we change, that's where we prefer to stay in the background."
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we → do → background
Changes at Secret Service
The Secret Service has undergone internal changes in recent years after facing backlash for its failure to prevent
in Butler in 2024.
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Service → undergo → 2024
Curran was the lead agent in charge of protecting Mr. Trump that day.
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Curran → protect → Trump
He said he had requested additional resources for the event, but that he'd "rather not get into the past.", who was head of the Secret Service during the Butler incident, stepped down.
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who → say → incident
When Mr. Trump's second term began, he appointed Curran as head of the agency.
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he → begin → agency
This past June, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released a report on Butler.
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Department → release → Butler
It found the Secret Service "missed multiple opportunities to detect, prevent, and disrupt the assassination attempt."
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Service → find → attempt
Curran, guiding several changes at the agency, said he's convinced nothing like the day's events will happen again.
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nothing → guide → events
A Homeland Security Inspector General's report found the counter-sniper team is staffed 73% below the level needed to protect the nation's most senior leaders.
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team → find → leaders
There are 942 people in training today compared to "maybe 200" last year, Quinn said.
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Quinn → be → 200
…and 24 more, not listed.
The Aporia
