Sean M. Curran
Sean Curran | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 28th Director of the United States Secret Service | |
| Assumed office January 22, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Matthew C. Quinn |
| Preceded by | Kimberly Cheatle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sean M. Curran 1976 or 1977 (age 49–50) |
Sean M. Curran (born 1976 or 1977) is an American law enforcement officer who has served as the director of the United States Secret Service since 2025.
Curran joined the United States Secret Service as a special agent in its Newark field office in 2001. He served on President Barack Obama's security detail and worked within the Secret Service's dignitary-protection division. In 2018, Curran became the assistant special agent-in-charge of the presidential-protective division. He was appointed the agent-in-charge of former President Donald Trump's security detail in 2021. Curran was present after a would-be assassin attempted to kill Trump in July 2024. Curran became the deputy special agent-in-charge of the Presidential Protective Detail in December.
In January 2025, Trump appointed Curran as the director of the Secret Service.
Early life
Sean M. Curran[1] was raised in New Jersey.[2]
Career
In September 2001,[3] Curran joined the United States Secret Service as a special agent in its Newark field office.[4] He was recognized as the Secret Service's special agent of the year in 2007.[2] Curran was added to President Barack Obama's security detail in 2008. In 2014, he was transferred to the Secret Service's dignitary-protection division. Curran was appointed as the assistant to the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington field office in 2016.[5] His work included managing the Secret Service's response to events leading up to the 2016 presidential election.[2]
In President Donald Trump's first term, Curran became a deputy supervisor on his detail.[2] In 2018,[6] he was appointed the assistant special agent-in-charge of the presidential-protective division.[4] Curran's work included managing logistics for overseas visits.[6] He was appointed the agent-in-charge of Trump's security detail in 2021.[3]
Curran had a personal relationship with Trump.[7] He encouraged the Secret Service to allocate additional resources towards protecting Trump;[8] according to CBS News, Curran was forced to develop Trump's detail independently as the Secret Service's leadership focused on protecting President Joe Biden.[2] Curran was present with Trump after a would-be assassin attempted to kill Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.[9] Curran became the deputy special agent-in-charge of the Presidential Protective Detail in December.[3]
Director of the U.S. Secret Service (2025–present)
In November 2024, CNN reported that Curran was among several candidates being considered to serve as Donald Trump's director of the Secret Service.[10] On January 22, 2025, Trump appointed Curran to the position.[11] Trump's decision forwent a recommendation from an independent review panel installed after Trump's attempted assassination that recommended a director who was not in the Secret Service.[12] Curran's tenure occurred as the Secret Service faced calls for reform from Congress amid staffing and logistical issues at the agency.[6]
As director of the Secret Service, Curran sought to encourage recruitment[6] and requested larger funding for the Secret Service.[2] He reassigned several officials and installed other individuals to leadership positions,[6] including the lawyer Richard Giuditta, whom he appointed as a legal advisor.[2] Curran opposed a gender quota imposed by former Director Kimberly Cheatle.[2] The Secret Service was the only law enforcement agency to adhere to Elon Musk's memorandum mandating federal workers justify their jobs.[13] Despite Musk's efforts to institute mass layoffs across the federal government, the Secret Service began an advertising campaign to bring in agents, including a commercial for Super Bowl LIX.[14]
References
- ^ Sullivan, Eileen (July 13, 2025). "What to Know About the Secret Service, a Year After It Failed to Protect Trump". The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jacobs, Jennifer; Sganga, Nicole (February 26, 2025). "Sean Curran, "the unknown" leading the Secret Service". CBS News. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ a b c Sganga, Nicole (January 22, 2025). "Trump selects Sean Curran, agent who protected him during Butler shooting, to lead Secret Service". CBS News. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ a b Samuels, Brett (January 22, 2025). "Trump names agent Sean Curran as Secret Service director". The Hill. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Jamison, Miles (March 11, 2025). "Sean Curran Sworn In as US Secret Service Director". ExecutiveGov. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Hawkins, Derek (March 16, 2025). "Trump's new Secret Service boss faces calls for agency overhaul". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Barber, C. Ryan; Linskey, Annie; Severns, Maggie (May 3, 2026). "He Rescued Trump From One Assassination Attempt. Now He Has to Answer for Another". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Gangel, Jamie; Wild, Whitney (January 17, 2025). "Trump taps the leader of his personal detail to run the US Secret Service". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Mayes-Osterman, Cybele; Meyer, Josh (January 22, 2025). "Trump picks agent who shielded him in assassination attempt to lead Secret Service". USA Today. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Holmes, Kristen; Lybrand, Holmes; Gangel, Jamie (November 20, 2024). "Trump eyes right-wing personality Dan Bongino among current and former agents for US Secret Service director". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Balk, Tim (January 22, 2025). "Trump Picks Sean Curran, Head of His Campaign Detail, to Lead the Secret Service". The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Barber, C. Ryan (January 22, 2025). "Trump Appoints New Head of Secret Service". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Shelton, Shania; Luhby, Tami; Campbell, Josh; McKend, Eva; Perez, Evan (February 23, 2025). "Federal employees told to justify jobs in email or Musk says they face dismissal". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ^ Newhouse, Sean (April 15, 2025). "'A few more heroes': Secret Service recruits more agents despite federal employee reduction". Government Executive. Retrieved May 3, 2026.