Shadows of Failure: The Secret Service from Kennedy to Trump
The release of new JFK assassination files on March 18, 2025, has reignited scrutiny of the U.S. Secret Service’s role in one of America’s darkest moments—President John F. Kennedy’s death on November 22, 1963. Six decades later, the agency faced another test with two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump in 2024—July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, and September in Florida. These events, separated by time and context, reveal haunting parallels and stark contrasts in how the Secret Service operates, raising questions about its preparedness, vulnerabilities, and the narratives that shield it from deeper accountability. Here’s what the past and present tell us about an agency caught between duty and doubt.
Echoes Across Decades
Intelligence Blind Spots
In 1963, the Secret Service leaned heavily on the FBI and CIA for threat intelligence, a dependency laid bare in the JFK files. Document 104-10337-10001 shows the agency had no pre-assassination file on Lee Harvey Oswald, despite his Soviet defection—a glaring oversight for a potential risk. Warnings like Joseph Milteer’s recorded threat of a sniper attack went unheeded, leaving the Dallas motorcade exposed. Fast forward to 2024, and the Butler attempt echoed this flaw. A CNN report (October 25, 2024) reveals the Secret Service operated separately from local police, missing a gunman spotted over an hour before he fired due to unshared radio channels. In both cases, the agency’s reliance on others for intel left it reactive, not proactive—fueling speculation about missed or suppressed threats.
Stretched Thin
Resource strain plagued the Secret Service in both eras. In 1963, with just 300 agents juggling protection and counterfeiting duties, the agency was outmatched by the demands of securing JFK’s open-top motorcade. The files hint at this limitation indirectly, contrasting the CIA’s growth in 176-10033-10145. By 2024, the Secret Service had grown to nearly 8,000 employees, yet Acting Director Ronald Rowe admitted it was “redlining” (CNN, October 25, 2024). Overworked agents couldn’t cover Trump’s rally and golf course adequately, a strain that mirrors 1963’s understaffing. These gaps challenge the lone-wolf narratives, suggesting systemic failures may have paved the way for attackers.
Coordination Chaos
Poor coordination with local forces is a recurring Achilles’ heel. The JFK files, like 124-10237-10009, show the Secret Service receiving FBI data post-assassination but offer no sign of preemptive teamwork with Dallas police. The motorcade route, publicized days earlier, left vantage points like the Texas School Book Depository unsecured. In Butler, 2024, separate command posts and radio silence with local law enforcement let a gunman climb a roof undetected (CNN, October 25, 2024). The Florida attempt saw similar lapses, with local police ill-prepared to secure Trump’s golf course (NBC News, October 17, 2024). This persistent disconnect raises doubts: were these failures mere mistakes, or signs of deeper breakdowns?
A Tarnished Shield
Both incidents shattered public trust. Kennedy’s death became the Secret Service’s defining failure, with conspiracy theories thriving on its inability to stop Oswald—or a supposed larger plot. In 2024, the Trump attempts sparked outrage, with an independent panel calling Butler a “failure” due to “deep flaws” (BBC, October 17, 2024). Public skepticism surged, mirroring 1963, with some alleging political motives behind the 2024 lapses. In each case, the Secret Service’s elite image crumbled, leaving room for questions about what it missed—or ignored.
A Tale of Two Eras
Scale and Tools
In 1963, the Secret Service was a lean outfit with a narrow mandate: protect the president with boots on the ground and basic radios. The JFK files reveal no tech-driven threat detection, just manual vigilance that failed in Dallas. By 2024, the agency’s scope had ballooned—guarding former presidents, candidates, and events with drones and armored vehicles. Yet, Butler exposed tech failures: a gunman’s drone scouted the site undetected, and radio issues stalled response (CNN, October 25, 2024). The contrast is clear: 1963 lacked the tools, while 2024 had them but faltered in execution.
Evolving Threats
The 1963 threat was simpler—a sniper in an open city—yet the Secret Service couldn’t adapt. The files’ silence on preemptive measures underscores this gap. In 2024, threats were “hyper-dynamic” (CNN, September 25, 2024), with drones, encrypted communications, and a polarized climate. The Secret Service responded post-Butler with an Aviation Division for drones (CNN, October 25, 2024), a leap from 1963’s static tactics. But the Florida attempt showed old-school vulnerabilities—bushes hiding a gunman—proving modern threats outpace even updated defenses.
Facing the Fallout
After JFK’s death, accountability was slow. The Warren Commission focused on Oswald, not Secret Service reform, and changes like armored cars came later. In 2024, the reaction was swift: Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, Rowe faced Congress, and an overhaul was urged (BBC, October 17, 2024). The media age amplified pressure, unlike 1963’s quieter aftermath. This shift reflects not just time, but expectation: failure today demands answers faster.
Tactics in Time
In Dallas, agents relied on eyesight and instinct—no tech to spot Oswald’s perch. In Butler, despite surveillance and firepower, a roof 150 yards away went unsecured (CNN, October 25, 2024). Florida’s golf course breach was similarly low-tech, yet preventable. The 1963 Secret Service lacked capacity; 2024’s had it but stumbled, suggesting training and focus lag behind tools.
Beyond the Official Story
The establishment insists Oswald acted alone, and Trump’s attackers were isolated—narratives the Secret Service’s failures prop up. File 104-10433-10209 hints at Dallas police stress, possibly masking a broader plot. In 2024, ignored drone use and communication breakdowns feed theories of political sabotage. These recurring lapses—intelligence gaps, resource woes, coordination flops—suggest more than bad luck. Were these systemic flaws exploited, or do they hide darker truths? The official line feels too tidy against 60 years of repetition.
A Legacy of Lessons Unlearned?
From Kennedy to Trump, the Secret Service wrestles with the same demons: dependence, exhaustion, and fractured teamwork. In 1963, it was a small force blindsided by a sniper; in 2024, a larger one fumbled modern threats. The JFK files and recent failures show an agency evolving yet stuck—better equipped but not better prepared. As conspiracy whispers linger, the question isn’t just what went wrong, but why it keeps happening—and whether the answers lie beyond the stories we’re told.