The image of a Secret Service agent asleep in public while on duty at the U.N. General Assembly, leaving a fully automatic rifle unattended, became a symbol of the agency’s DEI-driven decline under the Biden administration. This agent, overweight and unable to meet fitness standards, had been retained due to politically motivated quotas rather than merit, raising questions about the agency’s ability to protect President Trump.

When Sean Curran took over as director of the Secret Service, he faced an agency undermined by years of cronyism, mismanagement, and DEI priorities that had placed optics over operational readiness.

Curran, a veteran from Trump’s campaign detail, immediately set out to restore the agency’s elite status, focusing on accountability, merit-based promotions, and core mission priorities.

Two assassination attempts on Trump’s life, followed by evasive explanations from the previous leadership, exposed the vulnerabilities created by DEI policies and a lax culture.

Under former director Kimberly Cheatle, initiatives like “30×30” prioritized hiring women to meet quotas, sometimes at the expense of physical fitness and protective experience. Overweight agents who could not pass standard fitness tests were retained, creating obvious security risks.

Curran has shifted the Office of Equity and Employee Support Services back to its original Equal Employment Opportunity mission, eliminating DEI mandates while still addressing legitimate workplace grievances.

Critics, however, continue to scrutinize Curran’s decision to retain DEI advocates like Darnelly De Jesus, who oversee disciplinary actions, citing potential conflicts of interest and lingering influence from prior leadership.

Despite these challenges, the agency has made tangible improvements, creating the Aviation and Airspace Security Division to monitor drones and reallocating resources to ensure threats are prioritized effectively.

Curran has banned uniformed officers from wearing rainbow-colored pride pins or patches and emphasized strict adherence to professional standards, reflecting Trump’s executive order eliminating DEI programs across federal agencies.

Senior agents note that the Secret Service previously accepted underqualified recruits, including those without prior law enforcement experience, leading to weakened operational capability.

Last year, amid fallout from the Butler assassination attempt, the agency attempted to retain agents with bonuses up to 25% of their salaries, but the real problem had been systemic: DEI policies that undermined morale and mission focus.

Veterans like Rashid Ellis publicly blame DEI for the near-assassination of Trump, arguing that gender quotas and diversity initiatives distorted promotions and assignments.

Curran has countered these issues by emphasizing merit-based assignments, ensuring the right person is in the right position, and focusing on protective readiness above all else.

Critics of the prior DEI-focused leadership point to incidents such as the Secret Service sending agents to LGBTQI+ conferences overseas during peak campaign periods, distracting from protective duties.

Curran’s reforms also include reestablishing rigorous fitness standards and restoring the traditional pathway to leadership through presidential protective assignments.

While Curran has kept some former Cheatle deputies in leadership, their roles are being recalibrated to align with operational priorities rather than political quotas.

The agency has successfully thwarted threats against Trump and other officials, including arrests for assassination plots and the discovery of a suspicious hunting stand near Air Force One.

Nevertheless, some embarrassing incidents persist, such as missing firearms during security checks or internal disputes among officers, reflecting the legacy of DEI-driven mismanagement.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn has criticized prior DEI policies for diverting focus from the Secret Service’s essential mission: protecting those under threat.

Under Trump and Curran, the Secret Service is now undergoing a transformation similar to reforms in the U.S. military under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who eliminated woke initiatives and restored a warrior ethos.

Hegseth’s reforms, emphasizing physical fitness and meritocracy, have revitalized military recruitment and retention — a model that Curran seeks to replicate within the Secret Service.

Trump’s administration has made clear that identity-based hiring, diversity quotas, and politically correct displays have no place in agencies charged with protecting the president.

Curran’s quiet, disciplined approach has focused on tangible results rather than media appearances, reinforcing operational excellence and morale within the ranks.

Agents on Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s details face some of the longest hours and toughest schedules, but Curran’s reforms aim to ensure they are properly trained, supported, and assigned based on skill rather than DEI metrics.