‘Historic surge’: Applications to work for Secret Service skyrocket under Trump
Similar to significant spikes in military recruitment since President Donald Trump began his second term, applications to join the U.S. Secret Service are up roughly 214% compared to the first few months of 2024.
According to a report by Fox News Digital, the stats come from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The number of submitted applications from Jan. 20 to May 1 of last year was approximately 7,000 compared to 22,000 applicants in 2025.
In the wake of the first assassination attempt on Trump, July 13, 2024, which included several Secret Service failures, media reported on shortages of staff at the agency as well as moral issues among agents.
“For four long years, the previous administration demoralized and denied resources to our brave men and women in law enforcement, including in the Secret Service,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Our country suffered the consequences of that disastrous approach. President Trump himself nearly lost his life because of it. Now, after reforming the Secret Service and providing it with the resources it needs to do its job, we are seeing an historic surge in applications. Americans naturally want to protect and serve. We simply have to let them.”
According to the Fox report, the Secret Service has a total of 8,210 employees and law enforcement officers, including 3,904 special agents, 1,560 in the uniformed division, 265 technical law enforcement personnel, and 2,481 administrative, professional, and technical staff.
“I think the reality is that the Secret Service is returning to the core mission and the standards that made it great and that inspires a lot of really good people to want to be part of it,” former Secret Service agent Tim Miller told Fox News Digital. “I think now under the new director, they are trying to get back to having highly qualified people that are very mission focused.”
Coninued Miller: “I know when I got hired, I had been a U.S. Marine Corps officer and a police officer, it was a high standard to get hired. I think many now want to be one of the best of the best and the Secret Service is trying to get back to that gold standard.”