The Secret Service says threats against protectees are up just over 40% this year, and drones are moving from nuisance to real danger.
Story Snapshot
- Agency leaders report about 10,000 threats since January.
- Drone risk described as real and rising, with new counter-drone tech in development.
- Electronic jamming reportedly stopped a drone at the Army-Navy game.
- The 60 Minutes interview marked the first joint sit-down with Director Sean Curran and Deputy Director Matt Quinn.
Leaders go on record about surging threats
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said threats against full-time protectees rose just over 40% year over year and called the rise massive. He added that since January, the agency has logged about 10,000 threats against the people it protects. These figures place new strain on protective details around President Trump and other officials. The agency has seen cycles like this before, but leaders say the volume, speed, and reach of online targeting make the current surge different in scale and tempo.
Deputy Director Matt Quinn underscored one driver of unease: weaponized drones. When asked how concerned he was about drones, Quinn answered, “Very,” and added, “The threat’s real”. He pointed to lessons from the war in Ukraine and broader intelligence reporting that suggest tactics seen overseas tend to migrate to the United States over time. The warning targets small, cheap aircraft that are easy to buy, simple to fly, and hard to spot until too late.
Counter-drone tech shifts from talk to field tests
The Secret Service says it is building a multimillion-dollar program to detect, disable, and capture hostile drones. CBS reported a system that blends radar, cameras, and artificial intelligence to cue a drone “hunter” platform designed to track and neutralize threats. Quinn is leading the push, which pairs sensors with tools that can jam links or force a landing. The Government Accountability Office has described how counter-drone tools detect, jam, or disable aircraft at critical sites, though legal limits can shape usage.
The agency also offered a real-world example. At the December Army-Navy game, with President Trump and members of Congress present, the Secret Service used electronic jamming to bring down a drone that entered the security bubble, according to CBS’s report. The episode shows strategy turning into action at a crowded, high-profile venue. Details about the operator and device remain limited in public reporting, but the case highlights how quickly a drone can appear over a packed stadium.
Why this matters: crowded skies, thin margins
Protective work runs on time, distance, and cover. Drones compress all three. A quadcopter can lift off a mile away and arrive in minutes. It can carry a camera for surveillance or a small payload for harm. Police radios and metal detectors do not stop a plastic aircraft at 200 feet. That gap explains the agency’s focus on integrated detection, fast identification, and precise defeat tools that reduce risk without creating new hazards over bystanders.
My topline reactions to the mostly softball @60Minutes interview with @SecretService Director Sean Curran and Deputy Matt Quinn:
-Kudos to Curran and Quinn for sitting down for the interview, showing a willingness to address very broad public concerns about protecting POTUS in… pic.twitter.com/B6WX0ljB01
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) October 12, 2026
Conservatives will ask the right questions: Are we funding the gear that actually works, training often, and cutting red tape that blocks fast action? The Secret Service’s leadership says yes on direction and urgency, but performance data for the newest systems remain limited in public view. That does not erase the need. It sets a clear oversight task: prove the tools are accurate, lawful, and ready, and do it before a hostile drone tests the fence for real.
What to watch next
Expect continued emphasis on layered defense at major events, more joint planning with the Department of Defense and local police, and tighter airspace enforcement. Watch for briefings to Congress tied to the agency’s technology investments and training tempo, including how sensor networks, mobile teams, and rapid decision rules fit together. Also watch for clearer definitions of what counts as a threat, since policy and prosecution hinge on that line even as the total rises.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, paramountpressexpress.com, gao.gov, docs.house.gov
