Zero Fail Summary

Who guards the guardians? The answer is one of bureaucratic chaos, frat-boy antics, and repeated failures spanning decades.

1. A Chaotic Origin Set the Tone for Future Failure

The Secret Service started with no plan for how to protect a president for the long term. Originally tasked with fighting counterfeiters, the organization was pulled into presidential protection after William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Congress, panicked and ashamed, handed the task to the Service with no strategic framework.

This lack of focus came to a head during John F. Kennedy's presidency. Kennedy's public persona demanded constant visibility, but the Service was woefully unprepared for the pressures of securing a president so frequently in the public eye. By the time Kennedy visited Dallas in 1963, exhaustion and corner-cutting plagued the agents. Many had been drinking the night before his assassination, leaving them groggy and ineffective the next day.

The motorcade's fateful decisions—like slowing down instead of speeding up after shots were fired—illustrate how the Service's haphazard beginnings spiraled into fatal errors. For years after Kennedy's death, many agents carried intense guilt, reflecting on how a night of poor judgment contributed to history's course.

Examples

• The Service originally focused only on counterfeiting, with no expertise in security.
• Threats against Kennedy tripled, but the Service had no resources or strategy to evolve.
• Agents partied late the night before Kennedy was assassinated and reported to duty hungover.

2. Paranoia Divided the Service During Nixon’s Era

President Nixon manipulated the Secret Service for personal and political ends, deepening internal division. Nixon’s obsession with surveillance saw him weaponizing agents against his enemies, including Senator Ted Kennedy. Though Nixon failed to assign loyalists to Kennedy under the guise of protection, his actions left lingering mistrust among the agency’s ranks.

The agency grew increasingly polarized under Nixon. One faction prioritized loyalty to the administration, while another upheld the neutral, apolitical mission of protecting the presidency. This schism hampered effectiveness, even as the Service successfully thwarted two assassination attempts on Gerald Ford in 1975.

In both attacks, chaos reigned. A Manson follower and a radical activist attempted to kill Ford within weeks of each other. While agents acted bravely—one even intercepting a gun mid-firing—delays like having limo doors locked reinforced that disorganization could cost lives.

Examples

• Nixon schemed to watch Ted Kennedy by forcing Secret Service protection on him.
• Lynette Fromme’s assassination attempt was foiled by an agent blocking her gun.
• A delay in unlocking Ford’s limo during an attack could have been fatal.

3. Reagan's Shooting Exposed Training Gaps

In 1981, President Reagan narrowly survived an assassination attempt due to quick thinking but imperfect preparation by his detail. Agent Jerry Parr, who pushed Reagan into a car after shots were fired, initially thought the president was uninjured. Only en route to the hospital did Parr realize Reagan had been hit.

The incident highlighted the Service's poor readiness. Reagan had not worn a bulletproof vest because the event was labeled low-risk. Parr replayed the scene for days, questioning his choices. Meanwhile, the agency fractured further, especially after Reagan appointed a new head of the Service who favored loyalty over skill.

Political favoritism created more discord among staff. This culture underscored a recurring theme throughout the agency’s history: prioritizing personal allegiances over operational improvement, often to deadly potential.

Examples

• Reagan’s staff skipped standard protocol on wearing a bulletproof vest.
• Agent Jerry Parr’s decision-making was pivotal in saving Reagan’s life.
• Post-attack, Reagan appointed a divisive figure to lead the Secret Service.

4. Clinton’s Behavior Added Unique Challenges

Bill Clinton’s extramarital activities placed the Service in awkward and risky situations. During his candidacy, agents noticed Clinton sneaking off to meet women during his YMCA visits, bypassing security norms. Supervisors instructed agents to ignore these actions, creating a dangerous precedent.

Once in the White House, still-unvetted individuals had private access to Clinton. Monica Lewinsky was one such person, and her affair with Clinton directly embroiled the Service. After the Lewinsky scandal broke, agents either validated or contradicted Clinton's statements, taking on roles outside their responsibility.

This highlighted a new strain for the Service: personal scandals of presidents forcing agents to navigate between truth, loyalty, and security risks.

Examples

• Agents noticed unusual activity during Clinton’s morning jogs.
• Clinton’s rendezvous with Monica Lewinsky risked blackmail or leaks.
• An agent’s testimony contradicted Clinton’s denial of the affair.

5. Scandals Revealed Deep Ethical Failures

During George W. Bush’s presidency, the Secret Service surfaced in scandals that showcased moral decay within its ranks. Misconduct ranged from agents engaging in inappropriate relationships to outright illegal activities. In one case, a senior agent wasn’t punished after a woman died in his apartment following a drug overdose.

Public trust eroded further when internal emails revealed racist jokes and inappropriate video sharing among supervisors. More alarmingly, such behavior was rarely punished. Promotions followed for some, cementing a culture of impunity.

These issues weren’t one-offs. The rot ran deep, undermining the public image of what should have been an unassailable federal agency.

Examples

• An agent was caught giving drugs to a teenager but faced no penalty.
• Leaked emails from 2008 exposed racist jokes circulated among supervisors.
• High-ranking personnel implicated in porn scandals faced no serious consequences.

6. Hookergate Became a National Shame

In 2012, Secret Service agents in Cartagena, Colombia, indulged in drinking and hiring sex workers before President Obama’s arrival. Matters escalated when one agent argued with a sex worker over payment, prompting police involvement. The debacle, coined "Hookergate," shined an embarrassing spotlight on the Service.

Though paying for sex was legal in Colombia, it exposed broader issues of unprofessional behavior within the agency. Some agents viewed overseas assignments as an excuse to party, revealing a culture that tolerated unpolished conduct.

Hookergate forced Obama’s hand in appointing a new, female director, Julia Pierson. Despite the changes, deeply ingrained habits among longstanding staff proved nearly impossible to uproot.

Examples

• Hookergate cast a global spotlight on Secret Service failings in Cartagena.
• A partying culture among agents thrived amid weak accountability measures.
• Julia Pierson’s appointment faced misogynistic resistance from male agents.

7. The Obama Years Highlighted Rampant Ineptitude

Under President Obama, embarrassing incidents plagued the Secret Service. Agents crashed vehicles while drunk, passed out in hallways during trips, and failed to act during significant security threats. In one standout case, a man scaled the White House fence and walked through its front door.

This ineffectiveness prompted Obama to demand reforms, including diversifying the ranks. Yet issues persisted, often traced to outdated equipment, poor training, and internal resistance to change. Pierson’s attempts to tighten discipline often resulted in half-hearted compliance or outright sabotage.

Repeated agent failures during the Obama presidency further showcased an agency in freefall.

Examples

• Drunken agents crashed a vehicle in Florida and passed out abroad.
• Ineffective communication systems allowed a jumper to enter the White House.
• Agents mocked reforms and engaged in inappropriate behavior on duty.

8. Trump Stretched Resources to Breaking Point

Donald Trump’s presidency strained the overburdened Secret Service even further. With Trump’s family living apart and his constant travel to Mar-a-Lago, staff were shuttling across the country nonstop. This added enormous overtime costs, pushing the agency to its financial limits.

Trump’s frequent golfing also created fiscal challenges, as agents were forced to rent golf carts from Trump’s organizations. The president’s family travel habits ballooned budgets far beyond those of his predecessor, Obama.

Moreover, numerous security breaches—like agents taking selfies with Trump’s grandson while he slept—embodied a deteriorated culture of professionalism under Trump.

Examples

• Trump family travel cost taxpayers $12 million, far surpassing Obama expenditures.
• Golf cart rentals alone totaled $35,000 during Trump’s first months in office.
• Agent misconduct, including selfies with Trump Jr.’s child, sparked public outrage.

9. A Long History of Success Collides with Bureaucracy

Despite its historic wins, the Secret Service’s long history of poor management and apathy has tarnished its legacy. From bodyguards saving presidents to epic professional lapses, the organization’s dual identity remains puzzling: both saviors and a system burdened by internal discord.

Stopping assassinations like those of Gerald Ford exemplifies how effective and vital the Service can be. Yet overworking agents, tolerating misconduct, and enabling inappropriate behaviors have allowed glaring failures to persist unchecked.

To revamp its credibility, the Service would need not just reforms, but a cultural overhaul.

Examples

• Dramatic saves during assassination attempts highlight the agency’s capacity.
• Inconsistent discipline undermines its morale and professionalism.
• Persistent resource shortages disabled major security solution development.

Takeaways

1. Implement a cultural shift focusing on professionalism and accountability within the Secret Service.
2. Modernize systems and communication networks to avoid critical failures during emergencies.
3. Enforce stricter oversight against unethical behavior, ensuring agents meet high behavioral and operational standards.