The U.S. Secret Service has placed an agent on administrative leave after failing to detect a Glock handgun in a bag during Donald Trump's visit to his Virginia golf club late last month, a breach that has intensified scrutiny of the agency's protective measures.
The incident occurred on August 31 at Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. in Sterling, about 25 miles northwest of the White House. Trump was present at the club when the firearm passed through security. Agents manually searched the bag but overlooked the weapon, according to officials. The club member later reported the oversight to the agency and was described as cooperative.
The failure is considered especially serious because Trump was on site at the time. Surveillance footage reviewed by the agency indicated the owner of the bag, a club's guest never came close to the former president's location, but security experts argue the lapse underscores a vulnerable gap in the first layer of protection.
"The Secret Service takes the safety and security of our protectees very seriously, and there are redundant security layers built into every event and site," the agency said in a statement published by the conservative site Real Clear Politics. "We have launched a comprehensive review of the incident."
Broader Scrutiny on the Secret Service
The protective agency has faced criticism for years over its handling of high-profile breaches and operational mistakes. That scrutiny has intensified in recent weeks following several incidents, including an episode just yesterday, Tuesday September 9, when a heckler disrupted Trump's dinner at Joe's Stone Crab in D.C before being removed by security. Critics point to these repeated breakdowns as evidence of systemic lapses that could have catastrophic consequences.
The Virginia golf club incident comes just over a year after the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire during a Trump campaign rally, grazing the former president's ear and killing a supporter in the crowd. That attack led to a sweeping review of Secret Service practices and new demands from lawmakers for stronger protocols.
Agent Placed on Leave
The agent responsible for the manual bag search has been relieved of duty while the investigation proceeds. A senior official told reporters that handheld magnetometers, rather than walk-through devices, were being used at the golf club. Experts say the reliance on portable equipment increases the risk of human error during screenings.
Mark Sullivan, a former Secret Service director, said even though security is layered, the failure to detect a firearm at the entry point represents a significant breakdown. "You never want a weapon inside the perimeter when a protectee is present. That undermines confidence in every other protective measure."
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