A member of US Vice-President JD Vance’s security team has been suspended and is under investigation for allegedly leaking sensitive information, the US Secret Service (USSS) has said.
The specifics of what was leaked have not been released, but the Secret Service said their agent faced a “potential criminal inquiry”, involving allegations of “compromising operational and information security”.
“Any conduct that potentially threatens the safety of a protectee will not be tolerated,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said.
The White House declined to comment on the investigation.
Guglielmi did not say what information had been leaked.
But last week US TV network MS NOW published a story citing anonymous sources alleging that some among Vance’s security team were frustrated by his family’s travel. According to CNN, the agent’s suspension was tied to that report.
MS NOW reported that agents had vented concerns internally about some trips, including a planned military helicopter flight to a golf lesson for Vance’s young son, and for the Vances to go house-hunting in the Washington DC area.
The BBC has not independently verified the report.
The vice-president’s office said in a statement to MS NOW, in response to the article last week: “The Vances are grateful to the men and women of the US Secret Service who serve our country with distinction.
“While protecting a Vice President with a large policy portfolio and a young and growing family presents a unique challenge, agents of the Secret Service do so with excellence every day.”
It comes as agency officials warn of a sharp rise in threats against its protectees, including President Donald Trump.
Vance and his family are required to have round-the-clock Secret Service protection.
On Wednesday, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency was operating in what he described as the most dangerous threat environment of his 24-year career.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner – rescheduled for this Friday after the initial one in April was plunged into mayhem by an alleged assassination attempt – Curran said the threat level facing the Secret Service is “off the charts”.
“The environment has become very volatile, and that’s just across the board,” Curran said. “The threat picture and environment is as large as I’ve ever seen it.”
Agents have opened nearly 10,000 threat investigations since January.
Officials said the increase was being driven by a mix of online threats, lone actors, ideological extremism, foreign adversaries and individuals experiencing mental health crises.
They added that most threats now emerge online, replacing handwritten letters and other traditional forms of communication as the primary source.
By BBC News
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