Trump wants one of the agents who covered him after he was shot to lead the Secret Service

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. President-elect Donald Trump will choose Sean Curran, right, as Secret Service Director. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - U.S. president-elect Donald Trump will choose to lead the U.S. Secret Service one of the agents who covered him after a gunmen opened fire at the candidate during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Donald Trump Jr. said his father will be naming Sean Curran, who heads the president-elect’s personal detail as special agent in charge, to be Secret Service director.

“Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!” Trump Jr. posted on X on Friday.

The agency has been under scrutiny and pressure after Trump was wounded in the assassination attempt at a July 13, 2024 ‚rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after a second failed assassination attempt at his Florida golf course on Sept. 15. In the first attempt, Trump’s right ear was grazed by a bullet. He wasn’t injured in the second one.

One of the main criticisms was that local and federal law enforcement agencies weren’t communicating effectively and that the lapse allowed the Pennsylvania gunman to climb to a rooftop and open fire on Trump. A counter-sniper shot and killed the gunman.

After the gunman fired in Butler, Trump touched his injured right ear and went to the ground, shielded by Curran and other Secret Service agents who had rushed to the stage. He then stood up with the agents surrounding him, raised his fist and mouthed “Fight! Fight! Fight!” before being hustled off the stage.

Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press