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Secret Service Director Sean Curran has revealed that the current threat level his agency faces is “off the charts,” blaming a political climate more volatile than anything he said he has seen over his 24-year career.
Addressing reporters ahead of Friday’s restaging of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C, Curran was joined by other agents, one of whom agreed that the present “threat environment” is “the highest we’ve ever seen.”
The agent added that there have already been around 10,000 threats made against government officials and Supreme Court justices so far in 2026, a 40 percent increase on the same period in 2025.
However, the team tasked with protecting President Donald Trump, his cabinet and other top political figures said they were not concerned about the upcoming dinner, which is being held after a gunman attempted to rush the original event at the Washington Hilton on April 25, forcing it to be abandoned.
“We will always evaluate every site,” Curran said. “And right now, we have an advance team there, and they will take back and they will set up a plan to set that site up for success.”
Secret Service Director Sean Curran has said the current threat level his agency faces is ‘off the charts’ ahead of restaged White House Correspondents’ Dinner (Getty)
Deputy Director Matthew Quinn added: “We’re not looking at this as a redo of a dinner. We’re looking at this as a presidential site with cabinet members and other protectees there, just like every site we do everywhere we go.”
The suspect in April’s attack, Cole Tomas Allen of California, was wrestled to the ground by agents before anyone was harmed and has since been charged with attempting to assassinate Trump, who faced two previous attempts on his life in Pennsylvania and Florida in 2024 while campaigning for the presidency.
Iran has also threatened to assassinate the president in response to the Operation Epic Fury airstrikes he launched in late February this year.
After this spring’s aborted black tie press gala, another attack was foiled, this time targeting Trump’s June 14 UFC event on the South Lawn and involving the use of drones.
Quinn said the threat proposed by unmanned aerial devices was “real,” pointing to their highly effective deployment in Ukraine’s fightback against Russia, but added that the White House itself was “very safe from attack.”
“The technology that we’re deploying, and not just at the White House, at all protected sites, is cutting edge right now,” he said.
“The threat continues to get tougher and tougher, you know. You’re talking fiber-optic controlled drones now, dark drones.
The black tie press gala was originally held on April 25 with President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and members of his cabinet in attendance but had to be abandoned when a gunman attempted to storm the venue (AFP/Getty)
“So it’s a constant chase to keep up with it. But we’re doing a tremendous job to stay ahead of the threat, especially at the White House.”
Curran struck a more cautious note, however, saying of plans to build new fencing around Lafayette Square near the executive mansion: “If it were up to me, I would put 30-foot fences up everywhere. I like fences.”
Trump himself was asked Tuesday about whether he felt secure and answered simply: “I feel safe. Why wouldn’t I feel safe?”
Last week, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told a House subcommittee that the threat level to her and other federal judges is currently “really high” given the highly polarized political atmosphere of the moment.
The Secret Service briefing also took place a week after it emerged its agents had complained about some of Vice President JD Vance’s “ridiculous” and “inappropriate” travel requests.