America’s chief protective agency says threats against its full-time protectees jumped just over 40% in a year, with roughly 10,000 cases since January—an alarming surge in a tense political era.
Story Snapshot
- The Secret Service reports a year-over-year increase of just over 40% in threats to full-time protectees.
- Director Sean Curran says the agency handled about 10,000 threat-related cases since January.
- Officials cite social media access and mental-health problems as key drivers.
- Agency budget records show sharp growth in protective visits and intelligence investigations.
What The Secret Service Says Is Rising
Secret Service Director Sean Curran told 60 Minutes that threats against full-time protectees are “up just over 40%” compared with last year. He also said the agency has dealt with about 10,000 threats or threat-related cases since January. Those cases include the President and other top officials who receive round-the-clock protection. Curran highlighted three real-world incidents involving President Trump over the past two and a half years as examples of a more dangerous environment.
The agency’s written budget submission backs up a larger workload. The document shows protective visits rose from 5,242 in fiscal year 2023 to 7,175 in fiscal year 2025, a 37% jump. It also states that the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information managed more than 12,300 protective-intelligence investigations in fiscal year 2025, nearly 60% above the prior year. These figures point to a big rise in operational demands and screening work.
Why Officials Point To Social Media And Health
Curran linked the rise to changes in how people connect and share information online. He said the internet makes officials more accessible and that “social media changes people.” He also said mental-health issues are “for sure” among the biggest factors his teams face. The budget testimony echoes that view, stating that social media platforms keep growing and “make threats more prevalent,” which in turn drives more investigative leads and responses.
At the same time, agency records and press reports make clear that “threats” here cover more than direct vows of violence. Cases can start from warning signs like fixation, stalking, delusions, or suicidal behavior. That means the 40% increase reflects a broad protective-intelligence workload, not only violent plots. This matters for public understanding: more cases do not automatically mean more attempts at assassination at the same rate.
Confirmed Incidents Versus Case Counts
Curran and 60 Minutes pointed to three attempts or serious incidents involving President Trump to illustrate the risk: the Butler, Pennsylvania rally shooting, an incident at a Florida golf course, and a breach around the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. These examples show the danger is not only online talk. However, the public material does not offer a matching year-by-year series for attacks, arrests, or weapons seizures to compare directly with the big jump in case counts.
Agency activity is also shaped by resources and mission needs. More staff, better monitoring tools, or new reporting channels can lift recorded cases even if the share of credible violence stays the same. The fiscal year 2027 budget seeks funding increases and ties them to growing threats, visits, and training. That is a normal part of public safety planning, but it also means the agency has incentives to spotlight rising risks to secure resources.
How This Fits A Wider Pattern Of Threats
The Secret Service numbers fit a wider pattern of rising threats against public officials. Outside research and federal statistics show more threats targeting judges and members of Congress in recent years. That broader trend makes a higher load for the Secret Service plausible. Still, each institution tracks threats differently, so one agency’s increase cannot prove another’s rise in the same way or to the same degree.
VIDEO – Secret Service Boss Tells 60 Minutes About ‘Massive Increase’ in Violent Threats During Trump Era: ‘Social Media Changes People’ https://t.co/HOq2X7tjAF
— Grabien (@GrabienMedia) October 12, 2026
For citizens across the political spectrum, two takeaways stand out. First, the danger to leaders is real and rising in measurable ways, even if not every case is a direct violent threat. Second, the digital age blurs lines between speech, crisis, and action. People feel ignored by distant power, and some spiral into harmful behavior. Strong security is essential, but so are fair data, mental-health care, and clear rules that protect safety without chilling lawful speech.
Sources:
mediaite.com, secretservice.gov, ijr.com, abcnews.com, nbcnews.com
