Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio was just confirmed two months ago. Already there’s controversy.
And now a U.S. Secretary of State arrest has raised everyone’s eyebrows.
White House Security Detail Under Scrutiny After Marco Rubio’s Private Security Agent Is Arrested
The federal government’s ability to protect its top officials is teetering on the edge of failure, and a recent incident in Brussels involving a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent assigned to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s protective detail is the latest warning sign. Last Monday, Belgian police arrested a senior DSS shift supervisor at Hotel Amigo after he clashed with hotel staff and fought responding officers. This alarming episode, combined with the near-fatal assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in July 2024, exposes deep flaws in the federal security apparatus. To safeguard White House officials and other high-ranking leaders, sweeping reforms are desperately needed to ensure they receive the elite protection they require.
The DSS agent, a veteran whose name has been withheld, was part of an advance team tasked with securing Hotel Amigo in Brussels ahead of Rubio’s attendance at NATO’s foreign ministers meeting. His role was critical: coordinating security measures to guarantee the Secretary of State’s safety in a foreign capital. Yet, sources with direct knowledge of the incident report that the agent’s behavior unraveled under pressure. “The agent in question was behaving erratically and became irate when hotel staff refused to reopen the bar beyond its normal hours,” two sources told the Washington Examiner. When hotel staff, including the night manager, urged him to return to his room, the situation escalated. The agent turned physically aggressive, prompting police intervention. A scuffle with officers led to his arrest, though he was released later that day after U.S. Embassy intervention.
This incident is not an isolated embarrassment—it’s a symptom of a system buckling under strain. Four sources familiar with Rubio’s protective detail revealed to the Washington Examiner that DSS agents are stretched to their limits. “Shift supervisors [on Rubio’s detail] have an incomprehensible workload,” one State Department employee said. “They are responsible for all the agents under them, scheduling, evaluations and a preposterous amount of admin work [as well as] performing the actual shift work. They work 6 to 7 days a week. I truly believe this [incident] was the result of incomprehensible strain [the agent] was placed under and, at the very least, [Diplomatic Security Service] owes [the agent] a very fair evaluation of these circumstances in their totality – looking deep into [DSS’s] own role [in what happened].” Overworked agents cannot deliver the precision and focus required to protect America’s leaders, and the consequences could be catastrophic.
The Trump assassination attempt in July 2024 serves as a grim reminder of what’s at stake. That attack, which left the president injured and the nation shaken, exposed vulnerabilities in federal security protocols. While details of the incident remain under investigation, it raised urgent questions about the adequacy of protective measures for high-profile figures. If a then-former president can come under such a direct threat, what does that say about the safety of current White House officials? The Brussels incident only amplifies these concerns, showing that even seasoned agents are cracking under the pressure of a dysfunctional system.
DSS, once a gold standard in diplomatic protection, has been plagued by missteps in recent years. In December 2022, agents assigned to Brian Hook, a former Trump administration official, failed to prevent the theft of two vehicles from his driveway—an error that later saw one of those vehicles used in a Washington, D.C., homicide. More recently, DSS agents protecting U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy in New York City helped detain a serial k*ller, yet felt unsupported when agency leadership failed to acknowledge their efforts. These incidents point to a pattern of operational and leadership failures that erode confidence in the agency’s ability to execute its mission.
Leadership issues extend to the top. Carlos Matus, the acting assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, has drawn criticism for prioritizing costly diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives over core security needs. Correspondence reviewed by the Washington Examiner shows Matus has also failed to address how Trump administration policy shifts might affect DSS agents’ roles, leaving personnel in the dark. This lack of clarity fosters uncertainty and undermines morale, further compromising the agency’s effectiveness.
The strain on DSS isn’t just about personnel—it’s about resources and priorities. During last summer’s Paris Olympic Games, DSS agents protecting American athletes were not authorized to carry firearms, unlike local U.S. law enforcement agencies. This left them at a disadvantage in a high-risk environment. If agents guarding athletes face such limitations, what gaps exist in the protection of White House officials navigating far more complex threats? The federal government must act swiftly to address these deficiencies.
Reforming the federal security apparatus requires a multi-pronged approach. First, DSS needs an infusion of resources—more agents, better training, and modern equipment—to alleviate the crushing workloads that lead to incidents like the one in Brussels. Second, leadership must be held accountable for setting clear priorities and fostering a culture of excellence rather than distraction. Third, protective details for White House officials should be elevated to the highest standard, with no room for error. The Secret Service, which shares responsibilities with DSS for protecting top officials, must also undergo scrutiny to ensure seamless coordination.
The stakes could not be higher. A protective mission failure could endanger not just individual leaders but national stability. The Trump assassination attempt showed how close the nation came to such a crisis. Every day that passes without reform risks another breakdown, whether it’s an agent succumbing to stress or a security gap exploited by a determined adversary. The Brussels incident, while not directly compromising Rubio’s safety, is a wake-up call that cannot be ignored.
Congress and the administration must prioritize these reforms, allocating the necessary funding and oversight to rebuild a world-class security apparatus. This isn’t about politics—it’s about ensuring that those who serve at the highest levels of government can do so without fear for their lives. The public expects nothing less than the best protection for its leaders, and anything short of that is a betrayal of trust.
The federal government has a narrow window to act before another incident—potentially far worse than Brussels—occurs. The DSS agent’s arrest may not have endangered Rubio directly, but it exposed cracks in a system that’s long overdue for an overhaul. “The Diplomatic Security Service is aware of allegations of an incident involving an employee in Brussels, Belgium on March 31, 2025. While we don’t discuss specific personnel matters, the allegations are being examined,” a State Department spokesman told the Washington Examiner. Examination isn’t enough—action is.
For too long, the federal government has coasted on the assumption that its security measures are sufficient. The Trump assassination attempt and the Brussels debacle prove otherwise. White House officials deserve the very best protection, and the American people deserve a government that takes this responsibility seriously. It’s time to reform the system, strengthen DSS, and ensure that no leader is left vulnerable again. Anything less is a gamble with lives and national security.
The Conservative Column will update our readers on any further developments and updates from the Trump administration.
