The U.S. Secret Service has placed three officials on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential misconduct, the agency confirmed on Tuesday. All three employees, including the agency’s Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi, work in the Secret Service’s communications office and have lost their security clearances and access to work devices, according to sources familiar with the decision.
The Secret Service’s Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating the matter, though the agency has not disclosed the nature of the alleged misconduct. “Three non-law enforcement personnel at the U.S. Secret Service have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential misconduct,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement. “Per policy, this incident is being investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility.”
The agency emphasized its commitment to standards of conduct, stating that “our critical work demands that our workforce maintain an unwavering commitment to duty, honesty, and courage in all aspects of their jobs.” Loss of security clearances and work device access during internal investigations is standard practice, officials noted.
The investigation unfolds as the Secret Service faces sustained scrutiny over security lapses and operational challenges. In July 2024, the agency faced intense criticism following an assassination attempt against then-candidate Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A Senate report released in July 2025 detailed what it described as a “cascade of failures” by the Secret Service that allowed the attempt to occur. That same month, six Secret Service personnel were suspended without pay over conduct during the incident.
More recently, the agency has been dealing with internal security breaches. In July 2026, a Secret Service agent on Vice President JD Vance’s security detail was placed on administrative leave after investigators suspected the agent of leaking sensitive information about Vance’s travel, according to CNN. That investigation remains ongoing. The agency also launched a separate probe into a leak regarding President Trump’s security arrangements when he was secretly transferred from Turkey this summer due to possible threats from Iran.
Guglielmi, an Emmy award-winning communications professional, has served as the Secret Service’s chief of communications since 2022. He previously held communications roles at the Chicago Police Department and the Baltimore Police Department during significant periods of civil upheaval in those cities.
Sources
- CNN — Confirmed the identity of Guglielmi and details of the investigation, including loss of clearances and work device access; provided context on recent Secret Service scrutiny
- CBS News — Reported the three officials’ placement on leave, Guglielmi’s role, and the Office of Professional Responsibility investigation
- U.S. News & World Report — Confirmed the administrative leave and non-law-enforcement status of the three officials
- NBC Washington — Verified the non-law-enforcement capacities of those placed on leave
