The United States Secret Service was created 161 years ago when Abraham Lincoln signed it into law.
asserted
Lincoln → create → law
That same day he was fatally wounded by an assassin.
asserted
he → wound → assassin
Since then the service's mission has evolved from catching counterfeiters to protecting the lives of presidents, their families, and other top officials.
asserted
mission → evolve → presidents
The U.S. is a country that feels on edge.
asserted
that → feel → edge
The Secret Service told us the number of threats is way up against its protectees, especially President Trump.
asserted
number → tell → protectees
So we wanted to speak to the director of the agency, Sean Curran.
asserted
we → want → agency
He's been an agent for 25 years and is now leading the Secret Service that's in the line of fire.
asserted
that → lead → fire
How would you describe the current threat environment in this country?
asserted
you → describe → country
It's like we've never seen before.
asserted
we → see → ?
He told us that since January there have been 10,000 threats on the people they protect.
asserted
they → tell → people
Curran and his deputy director, Matthew Quinn spoke to 60 Minutes in their first joint interview.
asserted
Curran → speak → interview
What's driving that?
asserted
What → drive → that
Look, I think a lot of it has to do with the internet.
asserted
lot → look → internet
Is that in some way leading to the increase in these threats?
asserted
that → lead → threats
We're here to protect who we're-- we're sworn to protect.
asserted
we → protect → who
Look, I would say there's people on both sides of the aisle that either love or hate any president.
asserted
that → look → president
I think the biggest factor we're dealing with today is-- mental health issues for sure.
asserted
we → think → ?
And more people are being pushed over the edge in either direction.
asserted
people → push → direction
You know, social media changes people.
asserted
media → know → people
Do more threats come from the left or right?
asserted
threats → come → left
We don't weigh it that way.
asserted
We → weigh → it
We-- we just look at, you know, who-- who is, you know, making a threat.
asserted
you → look → threat
We investigate it.
asserted
We → investigate → it
We run it down, each and every threat.
asserted
We → run → it
Research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies showed a spike in incidents - at the local and national level - from the left in 2025.
asserted
Research → show → 2025
This year that trend has reversed with more attacks coming from the right so far.
asserted
attacks → reverse → right
Eight months into a war with Iran, the threats from outside the country are also growing.
asserted
threats → grow → country
They have vowed revenge.
asserted
They → vow → revenge
How do you deal with that when you're in charge of protecting the president?
asserted
you → deal → president
Turn on the TV and you can see the funeral where there are massive banners saying "Kill President Trump."
asserted
you → turn → Trump
So do we recognize the threat environment has increased?
asserted
environment → recognize → ?
How we do it and how we change-- that's where we prefer to stay in the-- in the background.
asserted
we → do → background
Few people know the risks more than Director Curran - who just two years ago was the lead agent protecting President Trump when he was campaigning on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
asserted
he → know → Butler
Curran was among the agents who shielded President Trump when Thomas Crooks fired eight rounds at the stage from a rooftop 155 yards away.
asserted
Crooks → shield → rooftop
You've not talked a lot about what happened in Butler, until now.
asserted
what → talk → Butler
I haven't really reflected on it.
asserted
I → reflect → it
I've kept myself busy.
asserted
I → keep → myself
I've-- I've just worked and worked.
asserted
I → work → ?
I've gone from assignment to assignment so that I've probably taken my mind off of it.
asserted
I → go → it
It's what we train to do.
asserted
we → train → what
…and 91 more, not listed.
The Aporia
