The Dangerous Myth of Elite Immunity: Reflections on the USSS and the Butler Shooting
The attempted assassination of then-candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania sent a jolt through the American psyche. But what didn’t shock me…what sadly didn’t even surprise me…was the revelation that the United States Secret Service had dropped the ball in the lead-up to that violent day.
It’s tempting to view the USSS as an infallible shield, a sleek machine of protection honed to perfection. But that image is more Hollywood than reality. The truth is more uncomfortable: the Secret Service, like too many elite institutions, suffers from a toxic cocktail of arrogance, complacency, and internal rot.
Let’s not forget that this is the same agency that in 2012 sent agents to Colombia who spent their off-hours with prostitutes while on official presidential advance duty. Or the 2014 incident where an armed man with a knife made it deep into the White House residence. Or in 2022, when cocaine was found inside the White House and the USSS mysteriously couldn’t determine who brought it in. These are not one-off flukes. They are part of a troubling pattern…one that signals deeper systemic dysfunction.
During my years in the military, I had the honor…and sometimes the horror…of deploying alongside some of the most highly trained special forces units in the world. These were men capable of extraordinary heroism and unimaginable lethality. They were elite by every measure. But it was that very word…elite…that often masked a darker truth. Spousal abuse, alcoholism, drinking on duty, reckless behavior during missions…these weren’t fringe incidents. They were systemic, and far too often, they were excused.
Why? Because they were “the best of the best.” Because “you don’t question Tier One.” Because without them, “where would we be?” That culture of untouchability is not strength. It’s rot wrapped in ribbons.
The same thing has happened to the Secret Service. A culture that breeds deference and fear instead of accountability and discipline will always fail when it matters most. When we lift individuals or units so high above scrutiny that the rules no longer seem to apply, we are courting disaster.
The solution isn’t just better training or tighter security protocols. It’s deeper than that. It’s cultural.
Here are some steps that must be taken:
Mandatory Rotations and Cross-Training:
Like special forces, USSS agents can fall into echo chambers of unchecked behavior. Regular rotations into different federal law enforcement environments…alongside FBI, DHS, or DOJ…can disrupt toxic culture bubbles.Mental Health and Ethics Education:
Normalize counseling, support sobriety, and teach ethical leadership from Day One. Not in a once-a-year slideshow, but embedded into every level of training and advancement.Zero Tolerance for Misconduct, Regardless of Status:
Elite status should never be a shield from consequences. Whether you’re a Delta operator or the lead on a presidential detail, misconduct should mean removal…full stop.De-Glorify the Myth:
We must stop lionizing these units in popular culture without acknowledging their human flaws and institutional weaknesses. The “untouchable hero” narrative breeds impunity, not integrity.
America doesn’t need more swagger. We need silent professionals who live and lead by example…without entitlement, without the assumption of invincibility, and without the myth of infallibility.
The near-assassination in Butler was a tragedy narrowly avoided. But it was also a warning shot. Not just from a rooftop, but from within the very institutions we trust to protect the republic. It’s time we stopped treating elite status as a justification…and started demanding it be an obligation.
