Secret Service misconduct investigation: Three officials, including communications chief, placed on leave, says report

Three employees of the U.S. Secret Service, including the agency's communications chief Anthony Guglielmi, have been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation examines allegations of potential misconduct, according to CNN.

The exact nature of the alleged misconduct has not been made public, and the Secret Service has offered few details about the investigation.

The development comes at a sensitive time for the agency, which has faced sustained scrutiny over security failures, alleged leaks and a series of high-profile incidents involving the protection of President Donald Trump and other senior officials.

Anthony Guglielmi among three officials placed on leave

A source familiar with the decision told CNN that three officials from the Secret Service communications office were placed on leave. The source identified Guglielmi, the agency's director of communications, as one of those affected.

According to CNN, the three employees have also had their security clearances suspended and their access to government work devices removed. Such restrictions can be part of standard procedure while an internal investigation is underway.

The Secret Service confirmed to CNN that three non-law-enforcement employees had been placed on administrative leave. However, the agency did not publicly identify them or disclose what conduct is being investigated.

“Three non-law enforcement personnel at the U.S. Secret Service have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential misconduct,” an agency spokesperson said, according to CNN.

The matter is being handled by the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, the Secret Service said.

Secret Service declines to reveal details of alleged misconduct

For now, the biggest unanswered question is what prompted the investigation.

Neither the Secret Service nor officials familiar with the matter have publicly described the alleged misconduct. CNN reported that the agency declined to provide further details beyond confirming that an internal review was underway.

In its statement, the agency stressed its commitment to professionalism and integrity, saying its protective mission requires employees to meet high standards of conduct.

That mission has been under particular pressure in recent years. The Secret Service has repeatedly found itself in the spotlight following security incidents involving Trump, including assassination attempts and subsequent reviews of how the agency handled those threats.

The placement of senior communications personnel on leave could add another layer of uncertainty for an agency already dealing with intense public and political scrutiny.

Investigation comes amid concerns over leaks and security operations

The latest internal investigation follows several other recent cases that have put the Secret Service under scrutiny, CNN reported.

Earlier this summer, reports emerged concerning a previously undisclosed security maneuver involving Trump during a trip to Turkey. CNN reported that concerns about possible threats from Iran played a role in the decision-making surrounding the president's travel.

The reports triggered a leak investigation, with some Secret Service personnel questioned as authorities tried to determine how details of the sensitive matter became public. CNN reported that FBI Director Kash Patel was involved in establishing the initial leak inquiry from within the White House.

The outcome of that investigation has not been publicly disclosed.

Another investigation remains underway involving a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance's protective detail. CNN reported that the agent was placed on leave after investigators suspected that information connected to Vance's travel may have been leaked.

It is not immediately clear whether any of those earlier investigations are connected to the current misconduct inquiry involving the three communications officials.

Guglielmi was a key voice during major Secret Service crises

Guglielmi has served as one of the most recognizable public faces of the Secret Service during a particularly turbulent period for the agency.

According to CNN, he was the communications director through several of the most serious security episodes involving Trump, including multiple assassination attempts. The attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, became one of the defining moments in the agency's recent history and led to the resignation of the Secret Service director at the time.

The fallout from that incident also prompted significant changes within the agency as officials reviewed security protocols and protective operations.

Before joining the federal agency, Guglielmi held senior communications positions with the Chicago Police Department and the Baltimore Police Department during periods marked by major public unrest and civil upheaval, CNN reported.

CNN said it had contacted Guglielmi for comment but had not received a response.

What happens next in the Secret Service investigation?

The three employees will remain on administrative leave while the Office of Professional Responsibility conducts its investigation, according to the Secret Service statement cited by CNN.

Whether the inquiry will result in disciplinary action, reinstatement or other consequences remains unclear. The agency has not provided a timeline for completing the investigation.

For now, the Secret Service is facing another difficult set of questions at a time when its operations and internal culture are already under close examination. Until investigators reveal what the alleged misconduct involves, the decision to place three communications officials — including one of the agency's most prominent spokespeople — on leave is likely to fuel further attention on an organization whose mistakes can carry exceptionally high stakes.

CNN's reporting makes clear that the allegations remain under investigation, and no details have yet been released about what the three officials are accused of doing.