The United States Secret Service responded after a female agent came under fire during the U.S. Army’s weekend military celebrations.
Real Clear Politics national correspondent Susan Crabtree took to X to chronicle the controversy.
“The Secret Service gave itself a pat on the back its role in providing security for the Army’s 250th anniversary parade in downtown D.C. Saturday,” Crabtree posted. “The vast majority of the USSS agents and UD officers on hand did an exceptional job, and the parade went off without a hitch.
“But one female Secret Service agent stood out like a sore thumb.”
Crabtree went on to describe a “young woman agent perched on top of a small tank” who “did not seem poised to provide a serious tactical response.”
“Some pointed out that the young woman agent, a GS9 who was recently trained, wasn’t wearing an earpiece, while others noted she was wearing a shoulder listening device and held an internal USSS radio,” Crabtree continued. “A source familiar with the event’s planning said she was seated on top of the tank because she couldn’t fit inside.
“But others said at least one other agent, a more seasoned GS12, chose a vehicle that allowed him to position himself discreetly inside the armored vehicle.
“For some in the Secret Service community the odd, casual look — this agent was the only one who appeared to be participating in the parade — raised ongoing DEI questions for the agency. But others viewed her as sort of a folk hero – an example of the cool things Secret Service career can allow agents and officers to do.”
⁉️⁉️#BREAKING SECRET SERVICE SCOOP: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS WOMAN AGENT DOING? ????
The Secret Service gave itself a pat on the back its role in providing security for the Army’s 250th anniversary parade in downtown D.C. Saturday. (See @SecretService video). The vast majority of… pic.twitter.com/PVk2H2Qzbw
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) June 16, 2025
(“GS” stands for “General Schedule” and training level is factored into those rankings. Anything above GS-13 would effectively be a special promotion, per the Secret Service.)
The Secret Service responded to this brewing internet controversy with a statement posted in direct response to Crabtree.
— U.S. Secret Service Office of Communications (@SecretSvcSpox) June 16, 2025
“Secret Service personnel including special agents and technical support teams were assigned to provide security function to privately owned vehicles participating in the parade,” the statement read. “Their purpose was to ensure that all vehicles were operated as directed by military organizers.”
The agency continued, “A special agent was assigned to a World War II-era tank and positioned on the exterior of the tank.
“The special agent was in a position to accomplish her objectives and was wearing the appropriate attire and equipment, including a ballistic vest and radio.”
This response seemed to infuriate Crabtree, who fired back that the USSS statement was far too dismissive of her sources.
Multiple Secret Service sources are incensed over the optics/lack of professionalism and say this official Secret Service statement above contradicts the agent’s post-standing instructions, which I will provide a summary of in the next post.
They also point out high-heeled boots… pic.twitter.com/kNDstnYRs5
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) June 16, 2025
“Multiple Secret Service sources are incensed over the optics/lack of professionalism and say this official Secret Service statement above contradicts the agent’s post-standing instructions,” Crabtree said.
Crabtree also fired back at a separate critic who argued that the reporter should lay off the female Secret Service agent in question.
You say you’re an expert in political optics – when no less than 8 sources in the USSS community contact me PO’ed about this and citing it as an professional look, that’s news. I trust my sources understand the sentiment within the USSS.
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) June 16, 2025
“You say you’re an expert in political optics – when no less than 8 sources in the USSS community contact me PO’ed about this and citing it as an professional look, that’s news,” she responded. “I trust my sources understand the sentiment within the USSS.”
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