Director of the
United States Secret Service
Seal of the Secret Service
Flag of the Secret Service
Incumbent
Kimberly Cheatle
since September 17, 2022
United States Secret Service
Reports toUnder Secretary of Homeland Security for Management
SeatWashington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
Term lengthNo fixed term
FormationJuly 5, 1865
First holderWilliam P. Wood (as chief)
DeputyRonald L. Rowe Jr
Websitewww.secretservice.gov

The director of the United States Secret Service is the head of the United States Secret Service, and responsible for the day-to-day operations.

The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security.[1][2] The service is mandated by Congress to carry out a unique dual mission: safeguarding the financial and critical infrastructure of the United States, and protecting the nation's leaders.[3][4][1]

The director is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of the president of the United States, and is not subject to Senate confirmation.[5] The director reports to the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management, and operates with the general directions thereof. Prior to March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was a part of the United States Department of the Treasury.[2][6]

History

President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Secret Service on April 14, 1865, the day of his assassination.[7] It was commissioned on July 5, 1865, in Washington, D.C., as the "Secret Service Division" of the Department of the Treasury.[8] After being appointed by President Andrew Johnson, William P. Wood was sworn in as the first chief of the Secret Service on July 5, 1865, by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.[9]

When the Secret Service was established, its head was called the chief of the Secret Service. In 1965, the title was changed to the director of the Secret Service, four years into the term of James Joseph Rowley (1961–1973).[9] The longest serving head of the Secret Service was William H. Moran, who served under five presidents from 1917 to 1936.

On March 27, 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson to be the twenty-third director of the Secret Service.[10] She became the first female director of the agency.[11] On October 1, 2014, the Secret Service leadership changed to Director Joseph Clancy, a retired agent who formerly led the Presidential Protective Division. On March 4, 2017, Director Joseph Clancy retired, leaving the position vacant until a replacement was nominated by President Donald Trump.[12] Meanwhile, William J. Callahan served as acting director of the United States Secret Service from March 4, 2017, to April 25, 2017. Randolph Alles, former acting deputy commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was appointed director by Trump.[13]

List of chiefs and directors

No. Picture Name Took office Left office Time in office President appointed by
1
William P. Wood
Wood, WilliamWilliam P. Wood
(1820–1903)		July 5, 186518693–4 yearsJohnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson
2
Hiram C. Whitley
Whitley, HiramHiram C. Whitley
(1834–1919)		186918744–5 yearsGrant, UlyssesUlysses S. Grant
3
Elmer Washburn
Washburn, ElmerElmer Washburn
(1839–1897)		187418761–2 yearsGrant, UlyssesUlysses S. Grant
4
James Brooks
Brooks, JamesJames Brooks
(1824–1895)		1876188811–12 yearsHayes, RutherfordRutherford B. Hayes
5
John S. Bell
Bell, JohnJohn S. Bell
(1844–1917)		188818901–2 yearsCleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
6
Andrew L. Drummond
Drummond, AndrewAndrew L. Drummond
(1845–1921)		189118942–3 yearsHarrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
7
William P. Hazen
Hazen, WilliamWilliam P. Hazen
(1840–1923)		189418983–4 yearsCleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
8
John Wilkie
Wilkie, JohnJohn Wilkie
(1860–1934)		1898191112–13 yearsMcKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
9
William J. Flynn
Flynn, WilliamWilliam J. Flynn
(1867–1928)		191219174–5 yearsTaft, WilliamWilliam Howard Taft
10
William H. Moran
Moran, WilliamWilliam H. Moran
(1862–1946)		1917193618–19 yearsWilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson
11
Frank J. Wilson
Wilson, FrankFrank J. Wilson
(1887–1970)		193719468–9 yearsRoosevelt, FranklinFranklin D. Roosevelt
12
James J. Maloney
Maloney, JamesJames J. Maloney
(1896–1959)		194619481–2 yearsTruman, HarryHarry Truman
13
U. E. Baughman
Baughman, UrbanusU. E. Baughman
(1905–1978)		November 29, 1948August 31, 196112 yearsTruman, HarryHarry Truman
14
James Joseph Rowley
Rowley, JamesJames Joseph Rowley
(1908–1992)		September 1, 1961October 197312 yearsKennedy, JohnJohn F. Kennedy
15
H. Stuart Knight
Knight, H.H. Stuart Knight
(1921–2009)		197311 May 19817–8 yearsNixon, RichardRichard Nixon
16
John R. Simpson
Simpson, JohnJohn R. Simpson
(1932–2017)		1981199210–11 yearsReagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
17
John Magaw
Magaw, JohnJohn Magaw
(born 1935)		199219930–1 year(s)Bush, GeorgeGeorge H. W. Bush
18
Eljay B. Bowron
Bowron, EljayEljay B. Bowron
(born c. 1951)		199319973–4 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
19
Lewis C. Merletti
Merletti, LewisLewis C. Merletti
(born c. 1948)		June 6, 1997March 3, 19992 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
20
Brian L. Stafford
Stafford, BrianBrian L. Stafford
(born c. 1959)		March 4, 1999January 24, 20033 yearsClinton, BillBill Clinton
21
W. Ralph Basham
Basham, W.W. Ralph Basham
(born 1943)		January 27, 2003May 30, 20063 yearsBush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush
22
Mark J. Sullivan
Sullivan, MarkMark J. Sullivan
(born c.1955)		May 31, 2006March 27, 20136 yearsBush, GeorgeGeorge W. Bush
23
Julia Pierson
Pierson, JuliaJulia Pierson
(born 1959)		March 27, 2013October 1, 20141 yearObama, BarackBarack Obama
24
Joseph Clancy
Clancy, JosephJoseph Clancy
(born 1955)		October 1, 2014March 4, 20172 yearsObama, BarackBarack Obama
–
William J. Callahan
Callahan, WilliamWilliam J. Callahan
Acting		March 4, 2017April 25, 201752 daysTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
25
Randolph Alles
Alles, RandolphRandolph Alles
(born 1954)		April 25, 2017May 1, 20192 yearsTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
26
James M. Murray
Murray, JamesJames M. Murray
(born c. 1968)		May 1, 2019September 17, 20224 yearsTrump, DonaldDonald Trump
27
Kimberly Cheatle
Cheatle, KimberlyKimberly CheatleSeptember 17, 2022Incumbent1 yearsBiden, JoeJoe Biden

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Records of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Resse, Shawn (April 16, 2012). "The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  3. ^ "United States Secret Service: Investigative Mission". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  4. ^ "United States Secret Service: Employment Opportunities - Uniformed Officer". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  5. ^ "Secret Service veteran first woman to lead it". The Boston Globe. March 27, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. ^ On March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was transferred from United States Department of the Treasury to the United States Department of Homeland Security, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
  7. ^ "A Brief History Of: The Secret Service". Time. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  8. ^ "The U.S. Secret Service in History". National Archives and Records Administration. 1998. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Secret Service History". United States Service. Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  10. ^ "President Obama Announces A Key Administration Post". whitehouse.gov. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013 – via National Archives.
  11. ^ "Obama to name Julia Pierson as new Secret Service director". Washington Post. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  12. ^ US Secret Service (February 14, 2017). "Retirement of Director Joseph P. Clancy" (PDF). US Secret Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  13. ^ "Randolph D. Alles appointed 25th Director of the United States Secret Service" (PDF) (Press release). April 25, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 4, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

External links

Chiefs and Directors of the United States Secret Service
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