By Steve Neavling
Public confidence in the Secret Service has plummeted following the July assassination attempt on former President Trump, according to a Gallup poll released Monday, with ratings of the agency’s performance sinking by 23 percentage points.
The shift in public opinion comes amid increased scrutiny from lawmakers and investigators after the agency failed to prevent a gunman from opening fire on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker, positioned on a rooftop, grazed Trump’s ear, injured two others, and killed one rally attendee.
The poll, reported by The Washington Post, was conducted largely before another incident on Sept. 15, when the Secret Service successfully averted another potential attack at the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach County. In that case, an agent spotted an armed suspect on the perimeter of the club and opened fire. The suspect was arrested, and no injuries were reported.
Gallup noted that the sharp drop in public approval for the Secret Service contrasts with the agency’s historically high ratings over the past decade. The agency previously saw a decline in 2014 after several security breaches, including a fence jumper at the White House.
The current drop in favorability is the largest for any federal agency since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saw a 24-point decline between 2019 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the poll, the U.S. Postal Service remains the only federal agency with strong positive ratings. Other agencies, including the Justice Department, Food and Drug Administration, and Internal Revenue Service, received favorable ratings from less than 35% of Americans.
