The U.S. Secret Service says the threat environment facing the people it protects has reached its highest level yet. A senior agency official said the cases are growing not only in number, but also in complexity.
The warning comes as the agency prepares security for President Donald Trump’s attendance at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington. Officials also highlighted the growing concern that drones could be used against protected people or sites.
Threat cases rise sharply
About 10,000 cases involving threats against government officials, including Supreme Court justices, have been recorded so far in 2026, according to a senior official who briefed reporters. The figure represents a 40% increase from the same period last year, CNBC reported.
| Measure | Reported Level | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Threat cases in 2026 | About 10,000 | Cases involving government officials, including Supreme Court justices |
| Year-over-year increase | 40% | Compared with the same period last year |
| Mental health committals | 10 times higher | People suspected of making threats to protectees |
“What we’re seeing now is something I’ve never seen before,” the senior official said during a background briefing. The official said the number of mental health committals involving people suspected of threatening protectees had increased by a factor of 10.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett had also warned a House subcommittee a week earlier that the danger to federal judges was “really high.” The Secret Service official described the broader threat picture as increasingly difficult to manage.
Drone attacks are a major concern
Matthew Quinn, the Secret Service’s deputy director, said the agency is “very” concerned about the possibility of drones being used to attack protectees. “Look, the threat’s real,” Quinn said during the public portion of the briefing.
Quinn pointed to the war in Ukraine while discussing the risk, saying it was “just a matter of time before it comes to the United States.” He said the agency is tracking challenges including fiber-optic-controlled drones and “dark drones.”
Despite those concerns, Quinn said the White House is “very safe from attack.” He said cutting-edge technology is being deployed at the White House and at other protected sites to keep ahead of emerging threats.
Security focus intensifies around Trump events
The rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is set for Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, with Trump expected to attend. The event was originally suspended in April after an armed man attempted to get past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Hotel while Trump was there.
Secret Service officers tackled Cole Tomas Allen of California before he could enter the ballroom where Trump and other senior administration officials were located. Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate Trump.
Trump has survived two other major threats in recent years. At a July 13, 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire, killing audience member Corey Comperatore and seriously injuring two others while Trump narrowly escaped death.
Two months later, a Secret Service officer fired at Ryan Routh after he was found hiding in shrubs along the perimeter of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was later convicted in federal court of trying to assassinate Trump and other charges, and is serving a life sentence.
When asked at the White House whether he felt safe after the attempts on his life, Trump said, “I feel safe.” He added, “Why wouldn’t I feel safe?”
