Wikipedia

Director of the United States Secret Service

The director of the United States Secret Service is the head of the United States Secret Service, and is responsible for the day-to-day operations.

Director of the
United States Secret Service
Emblem of the Secret Service
Flag of the Secret Service
since July 23, 2024
United States Secret Service
Reports toSecretary of Homeland Security
SeatWashington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
Sole decision of the President
Term lengthAt the pleasure of the President
FormationJuly 5, 1965 (59 years ago) (1965-07-05)
First holderWilliam P. Wood (as chief)
DeputyVacant
Websitewww.secretservice.gov

The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security.[1][2] The service is mandated by the U.S. Congress to carry out a unique dual mission: safeguarding the financial and critical infrastructure of the United States, and protecting the nation's leaders.[3][4][1]

The director is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the president of the United States, and is not subject to Senate confirmation.[5] The director reports to the secretary of homeland security, and operates with the general directions thereof. Prior to March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was a part of the United States Department of the Treasury.[2][6]

History

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President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Secret Service on April 14, 1865, the day of his assassination.[7] It was commissioned on July 5, 1865, in Washington, D.C., as the "Secret Service Division" of the Department of the Treasury.[8] After being appointed by President Andrew Johnson, William P. Wood was sworn in as the first chief of the Secret Service on July 5, 1865, by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.[9]

When the Secret Service was established, its head was called the chief of the Secret Service. In 1965, the title was changed to the director of the Secret Service, four years into the term of James Joseph Rowley (1961–1973).[9] The longest-serving head of the Secret Service was William H. Moran, who served under five presidents from 1917 to 1936.

On March 27, 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson to be the twenty-third director of the Secret Service.[10] She became the first female director of the agency.[11] On October 1, 2014, the Secret Service leadership changed to Director Joseph Clancy, a retired agent who formerly led the Presidential Protective Division. On March 4, 2017, Director Joseph Clancy retired, leaving the position vacant until a replacement was nominated by President Donald Trump.[12] Meanwhile, William J. Callahan served as acting director of the United States Secret Service from March 4, 2017, to April 25, 2017. Randolph Alles, former acting deputy commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was appointed director by Trump.[13]

List of chiefs and directors

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No. Picture Name Took office Left office Time in office President appointed by
1Wood, WilliamWilliam P. Wood
(1820–1903)		July 5, 186518693–4 yearsJohnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson
2Whitley, HiramHiram C. Whitley
(1834–1919)		186918744–5 yearsGrant, UlyssesUlysses S. Grant
3Washburn, ElmerElmer Washburn
(1839–1897)		187418761–2 yearsGrant, UlyssesUlysses S. Grant
4Brooks, JamesJames Brooks
(1824–1895)		1876188811–12 yearsHayes, RutherfordRutherford B. Hayes
5Bell, JohnJohn S. Bell
(1844–1917)		188818901–2 yearsCleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
6Drummond, AndrewAndrew L. Drummond
(1845–1921)		189118942–3 yearsHarrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
7Hazen, WilliamWilliam P. Hazen
(1840–1923)		189418983–4 yearsCleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
8Wilkie, JohnJohn Wilkie
(1860–1934)		1898191112–13 yearsMcKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
9Flynn, WilliamWilliam J. Flynn
(1867–1928)		191219174–5 yearsTaft, WilliamWilliam Howard Taft
10Moran, WilliamWilliam H. Moran
(1862–1946)		1917193618–19 yearsWilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson
11Wilson, FrankFrank J. Wilson
(1887–1970)		193719468–9 yearsRoosevelt, FranklinFranklin D. Roosevelt
12Maloney, JamesJames J. Maloney
(1896–1959)		194619481–2 yearsTruman, HarryHarry Truman
13Baughman, UrbanusU. E. Baughman
(1905–1978)		November 29, 1948August 31, 196112 yearsTruman, HarryHarry Truman
14Rowley, JamesJames Joseph Rowley
(1908–1992)		September 1, 1961October 197312 yearsKennedy, JohnJohn F. Kennedy
15Knight, H.H. Stuart Knight
(1921–2009)		November 7, 1973November 30, 19818 yearsNixon, RichardRichard Nixon
16Simpson, JohnJohn R. Simpson
(1932–2017)		1981199210–11 yearsReagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
17Magaw, JohnJohn Magaw
(born 1935)		199219930–1 year(s)Bush, GeorgeGeorge H. W. Bush
18Bowron, EljayEljay B. Bowron
(born c. 1951)		199319973–4 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
19Merletti, LewisLewis C. Merletti
(born c. 1948)		June 6, 1997March 3, 19992 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
20Stafford, BrianBrian L. Stafford
(born c. 1959)		March 4, 1999January 24, 20033 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
21Basham, W.W. Ralph Basham
(born 1943)		January 27, 2003May 30, 20063 yearsBush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush
22Sullivan, MarkMark J. Sullivan
(born c.1955)		May 31, 2006March 27, 20136 yearsBush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush
23Pierson, JuliaJulia Pierson
(born 1959)		March 27, 2013October 1, 20141 yearObama, BarackBarack Obama
24Clancy, JosephJoseph Clancy
(born 1955)		October 1, 2014March 4, 20172 yearsObama, BarackBarack Obama
–Callahan, William J.William J. Callahan
Acting		March 4, 2017April 25, 201752 daysTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
25Alles, RandolphRandolph Alles
(born 1954)		April 25, 2017May 1, 20192 yearsTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
26Murray, James M.James M. Murray
(born c. 1968)		May 1, 2019September 17, 20223 yearsTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
27Cheatle, KimberlyKimberly Cheatle
(born 1972)		September 17, 2022July 23, 20241 yearBiden, JoeJoe Biden
–Rowe, Ronald L.Ronald L. Rowe Jr.
Acting		July 23, 2024122 daysBiden, JoeJoe Biden

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Records of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Resse, Shawn (April 16, 2012). "The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  3. ^ "United States Secret Service: Investigative Mission". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  4. ^ "United States Secret Service: Employment Opportunities - Uniformed Officer". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  5. ^ "Secret Service veteran first woman to lead it". The Boston Globe. March 27, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. ^ On March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was transferred from United States Department of the Treasury to the United States Department of Homeland Security, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
  7. ^ "A Brief History Of: The Secret Service". Time. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  8. ^ "The U.S. Secret Service in History". National Archives and Records Administration. 1998. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Secret Service History". United States Service. Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  10. ^ "President Obama Announces A Key Administration Post". whitehouse.gov. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013 – via National Archives.
  11. ^ "Obama to name Julia Pierson as new Secret Service director". Washington Post. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  12. ^ US Secret Service (February 14, 2017). "Retirement of Director Joseph P. Clancy" (PDF). US Secret Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  13. ^ "Randolph D. Alles appointed 25th Director of the United States Secret Service" (PDF) (Press release). April 25, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 4, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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