Donald Trump should’ve never been in the crosshairs. Now heads are starting to roll.
Because the Secret Service is in the hot seat after being grilled in Congress.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) is raising alarms about the Secret Service’s mishandling of resources after whistleblower revelations exposed serious financial mismanagement within the agency.
According to the disclosures sent to Grassley’s office, the Secret Service failed to properly reimburse Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for travel expenses incurred while assisting the agency’s protective details — another instance of gross incompetence under the Biden administration’s watch.
The Secret Service reportedly ran out of funds last month to pay back HSI agents, who were deployed to bolster Secret Service personnel during critical assignments.
These HSI “jump teams” are called in when the Secret Service doesn’t have enough of its own agents to cover a protective detail.
Yet, despite their crucial role, the Secret Service’s inability to transfer sufficient funds has left these agents footing the bill for their own expenses.
Grassley was blunt in his criticism, stating, “The agency’s failure to transfer enough funds for HSI to reimburse its agents raises major concerns and calls into question the Secret Service’s ability to manage federal resources.”
He added, “Congress and the American people have witnessed too many Secret Service shortfalls in recent months — they deserve answers, and it’s Congress’ job to bring transparency and accountability.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dodged Grassley’s pointed criticism, offering a generic response about “responding to congressional correspondence.”
The timing of this financial meltdown is particularly troubling as the Secret Service has been forced to lean on HSI agents more heavily during the fast-paced election season.
Most notably, HSI agents were deployed during former President Donald Trump’s July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where an assassination attempt nearly took place. With such high-stakes events, the agency’s failure to handle its finances is not only embarrassing but dangerous.
The whistleblower disclosures that Grassley received included damning internal emails. One email, dated Sept. 9, warned HSI agents to stop submitting travel authorizations because only $33 remained to cover their expenses.
While more funds were eventually added, another email later that month revealed an additional shortfall, with over $371,000 in jump team authorizations failing and only $3,331 left to cover the costs.
The email also noted that no further money would be available for jump team reimbursements until the following year.
HSI agents have had to pay for their own flights, food, rental cars, and hotels while waiting for reimbursement — an unacceptable situation made worse by the Secret Service’s chronic financial mismanagement.
Grassley sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and several other top officials demanding answers, especially about why HSI agents were being forced to travel on short notice without guaranteed reimbursement.
If these whistleblower accounts hold true, Grassley warned that the Secret Service could be in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which forbids federal agencies from spending more than they are allocated. He also voiced concerns that HSI agents may have been directed to misreport their travel expenses, another potential legal violation.
In addition to the financial mismanagement, Grassley pointed out that these failures are part of a broader pattern of incompetence within the Secret Service, referencing recent assassination attempts against Trump and the agency’s inability to secure the perimeter at Trump’s golf course on Sept. 15.
A gunman was allowed to lurk outside the property for 12 hours before being noticed — a chilling reminder of how badly things have gone under the current administration’s oversight.
Grassley’s letter questioned the agency’s claim that its protective measures are “sound,” especially given these repeated failures.
Despite some reports that the Secret Service has stepped up its efforts to protect Trump, Grassley rightfully questions whether these resources are being managed efficiently.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
