Finally, the U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail has been placed on administrative leave after an undercover video by James O’Keefe allegedly showed him leaking sensitive information to someone posing as a romantic interest. In the video, the agent divulged protective formations, shift schedules, travel plans, real-time locations, and images from Air Force Two.
The agent, identified elsewhere as Tomas Escotto, who is a Biden-era holdover who expressed anti-ICE/anti-Trump views, had his clearance suspended. Reacting to the scandal, the USSS launched an investigation, ordered agency-wide anti-espionage retraining, and apologized to the Vance family, emphasizing zero tolerance for breaches.
Reacting to the scandal, USSS Deputy Director Matthew Quinn explained, “The U.S. Secret Service has no tolerance for any behavior that could potentially compromise the safety, privacy or trust of our protectees. This incident is under investigation, and the employee involved has been placed on administrative leave with his clearance suspended and access to agency facilities and systems revoked.”
Adding more context to his comments, the official noted, “The U.S. Secret Service has also issued an order for all personnel to retake the agency’s required anti-espionage training in order to ensure employees are aware of the threats posed by individuals aiming to exploit agency employees for information about our protective operations.”
“The U.S. Secret Service has a 160-year-old tradition of discretion that sets this agency apart, and we have no tolerance for employees who fail to meet this standard. The U.S. Secret Service deeply apologizes to the Vance family for this violation of their trust and privacy,” the deputy director added.
Concluding his comments, Quinn said, “The faith our protectees place in this agency is not something the U.S. Secret Service takes lightly, and we are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that a similar breach of standards does not occur again.”
Breaking down the story in a viral social media post, James O’Keefe revealed, “Escotto is a holdover from the Biden administration and stated that he voted for Joe Biden, while expressing opposition to ICE & the Trump administration’s immigration policies. ‘I hate that [ICE] sh*t.'”
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“Tomas Escotto, a current U.S. Secret Service agent on Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail, was recorded on hidden camera providing an undercover journalist with sensitive security information, including protective formations, shift schedules, travel plans, & real-time locations,” O’Keefe said in the worrying post.
Building on this point, he dug into the implications of this breach, saying, “The Secret Service agent detailed how the Vice President is physically surrounded, described multiple daily shift changes, & disclosed advance security procedures.”
Winding down his commentary, the conservative asserted, “Despite acknowledging that he signed paperwork prohibiting the disclosure of sensitive information, the Secret Service agent repeatedly shared details with someone he believed was a casual romantic interest.”
Concluding his remarks, the journalist added. “While the safety of the Vice President and his family was always our top priority, what OMG uncovered raises serious questions about operational security, protocol compliance, and oversight within the U.S. Secret Service.”