US secret service under threat - Mass layoffs planned in Washington

In the coming days, the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, will begin reducing the staff of the Department of Homeland Security.. Significant cuts are expected across all agencies, including the Secret Service.

Four sources, speaking anonymously, reported that DHS is preparing for substantial layoffs, though no final decisions have been made, and the full scale of the cuts has not yet been determined.

According to two sources, negotiations and lobbying took place this week between DOGE, the White House, and DHS leadership.

It is expected that various units will be affected differently. One source mentioned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could be eliminated.

According to two insiders, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies may also face cuts.

A senior DHS official told CNN that the department is “determined to eliminate government waste that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer. Across DHS, we will be eliminating non-mission critical positions and bureaucratic hurdles that undermine our mission to secure the homeland."

It is expected that in the coming days, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will send an email to her department’s employees notifying them about the expected layoffs, as well as a separate message detailing voluntary resignation and early retirement options. One source mentioned that Nielsen's name might appear in the letter, but key decisions are being made by Trump's assistant Stephen Miller, DOGE, and other White House officials.

Cuts at inconvenient time

Cuts to the Secret Service will occur at an especially difficult time for the agency, which is under pressure due to what high-ranking officials describe as an unprecedented and dynamic threat environment, particularly in light of two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump last summer. The agency is struggling with low morale, professional burnout, staffing shortages, and retention issues.

In February of last year, the Secret Service spent an unprecedented $2 million on TV ads, enlisting blockbuster director Michael Bay.

In testimony before Congress after the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, officials repeatedly stated that the agency was lacking funding and resources.

One source stated that any cuts at the agency are likely to affect administrative and technical staff. Additionally, layoffs may target newer employees and those on probation, as these positions are easiest to eliminate. These changes are not expected to immediately impact the agency's core tasks and readiness, though this may change over time, especially if officers are required to compensate for a lack of support.

According to sources, there is widespread concern among ordinary Secret Service employees about the future, and they are reluctant to speak with journalists for fear of undergoing a polygraph test.

“It’s hard for the Service to execute on a strategy, which is to bolster their resources and funding – especially in the wake of the attack on President Trump in Butler. How do they build that strategy now having to reduce a workforce?” questioned Jonathan Wackrow, a CNN contributor and former USSS agent.

Wackrow continued, “The mission is not directly impacted with what is being proposed at this moment – but it will over time. You start creating these intrinsic vulnerabilities in your workforce that could lead to another Butler.”

US federal employee cuts

The goal of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, is to reduce the number of federal employees across various government agencies to cut budgetary spending.

Among the planned reductions is the civil workforce at the US Department of Defense.

A significant portion of employees at the US Institute of Peace has also been laid off.

DOGE has also focused on health institutions.