Bipartisan Bill Seeks To Move Secret Service Out Of DHS Oversight
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Russell Fry introduced legislation to remove the U.S. Secret Service from the Department of Homeland Security and make it report directly to the White House.
Moskowitz's package would also make FEMA an independent cabinet-level agency and move the Transportation Security Administration to the Department of Transportation. The move follows three assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, including the April 25, 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, and a 76-day DHS funding lapse that prompted more than 1,000 TSA agents to quit, raising urgent security and staffing concerns.
The episode traces back to the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed Trump's ear and killed an attendee, prompting a bipartisan House task force that included Moskowitz. That panel held hearings through 2024 and faulted Secret Service coordination under DHS, saying bureaucratic delays hampered resource allocation and decision-making. A second attempt on September 15, 2024 saw a suspect arrested near Trump's West Palm Beach golf club with a rifle, and criticism intensified during the funding lapse that began in mid-February 2026.
The Secret Service was moved from the Treasury to DHS on March 1, 2003, part of the post-9/11 government reorganization. As of fiscal year 2025 the agency had about 8,300 employees and a $3.2 billion budget, while DHS employed more than 250,000 people and had a budget exceeding $60 billion in fiscal year 2024.
The mainstream summary frames the legislative push as a direct response to recent assassination attempts on Donald Trump, but it overlooks broader systemic issues contributing to this crisis. A 2025 GAO report highlights longstanding management challenges within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), such as duplicative systems and inefficiencies, which have persisted since its rapid establishment after 9/11. This structural dysfunction may explain why the Secret Service's coordination has been criticized, suggesting that the proposed changes might not address the root causes of the agency's operational challenges.
Moreover, while the mainstream account emphasizes the urgency of the situation, it does not mention the significant public sentiment regarding political violence. A 2025 Pew Research Center report indicates that 85% of Americans perceive an increase in politically motivated violence, driven by divisive political rhetoric and media sensationalism. This context suggests that the issues surrounding the Secret Service's oversight are not merely bureaucratic but are also intertwined with a larger societal crisis of trust in government and rising political extremism, which the mainstream summary fails to fully capture.
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📊 Relevant Data
The U.S. Secret Service was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003, as part of the government reorganization following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Timeline of Our History — U.S. Secret Service
As of fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Secret Service has approximately 8,300 employees and a budget of $3.2 billion, compared to the Department of Homeland Security's over 250,000 employees and budget exceeding $60 billion in fiscal year 2024.
U.S. Secret Service Budget Overview — Department of Homeland Security
The second assassination attempt on Donald Trump occurred on September 15, 2024, when a suspect was arrested with a rifle near Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Security incidents involving Donald Trump — Wikipedia
During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days and affected DHS, Secret Service agents worked without pay, leading to financial hardships and operational strains.
D.H.S. Funding Lapse Leads to Longest Partial Shutdown — The New York Times
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Russell Fry introduced legislation to move the Secret Service out of DHS and make it report directly to the White House.
- Moskowitz’s package would also make FEMA an independent cabinet-level agency and transfer TSA to the Department of Transportation.
- The push follows three assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, including the April 25, 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, and a 76-day DHS funding lapse that led over 1,000 TSA agents to quit.
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