Secret Service says threat cases against officials are up 40%

The U.S. Secret Service is warning that threats against senior government figures have climbed sharply this year. A senior agency official said Wednesday that the risk facing people under Secret Service protection, including President Donald Trump, is at a record level for the agency.

The official, who briefed reporters on background before a public briefing, said the agency has handled about 10,000 threat-related cases involving government officials so far in 2026, according to a pool report by MS NOW. That includes threats involving Supreme Court justices and marks a 40% increase from the same point last year, the official said.

“What we’re seeing now is something I’ve never seen before,” the senior official said, adding that threats are rising in both volume and complexity.

Security focus shifts to rescheduled press dinner

The warning came ahead of Friday’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, where Trump is expected to appear.

The original dinner in April was halted after a man carrying multiple weapons tried to push through a security checkpoint inside the Washington Hilton Hotel while Trump was attending, according to the report. Secret Service officers tackled the man before he entered the ballroom, where Trump and other senior administration officials were present.

The man, identified as California resident Cole Tomas Allen, has been charged with trying to assassinate Trump.

The Secret Service official also said mental health committals involving people suspected of threatening protectees have risen by a factor of 10. A committal is a legal process that can place a person in mental health treatment or custody when authorities believe they pose a danger.

The agency’s comments follow separate concerns raised by Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Barrett told a House subcommittee last week that the threat level facing her and other federal judges “is really high.”

Drones remain a major concern

Matthew Quinn, the Secret Service’s deputy director, said during the public portion of the briefing that the agency is “very” concerned about drones being used in attacks against protectees.

Quinn pointed to the war in Ukraine as an example of how drone threats are changing. “It’s just a matter of time before it comes to the United States,” he said.

He said the White House remains “very safe from attack” and that the Secret Service is using advanced technology at the White House and other protected sites. Quinn said the agency is working to keep pace with newer threats, including fiber optic controlled drones and “dark drones,” a term used for drones designed to be harder to detect.

Trump was asked Tuesday at the White House whether he feels safe after several attempts on his life. “I feel safe,” Trump said. “Why wouldn’t I feel safe?”

Trump was wounded in a July 13, 2024, shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire. Audience member Corey Comperatore was killed, and two other people were seriously injured.

Two months later, a Secret Service officer fired at Ryan Routh, who was hiding near the perimeter of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was convicted in federal court in Florida last September of trying to assassinate Trump and other charges. He is serving a life sentence.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.