A non-profit organization has launched an investigation into the U.S. Secret Service's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies following the recent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
According to Fox News, the Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) examines how these policies may have affected the agency's hiring, retention, and promotion practices, potentially compromising its mission.
The investigation comes in the wake of a shooting incident at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. During the event, a gunman fired eight shots, grazing Trump's ear and injuring three attendees, one of whom was fatally wounded. The incident has raised questions about the Secret Service's effectiveness and its adherence to DEI policies.
MSLF, a Colorado-based group, is seeking information from current and former Secret Service agents, as well as agency applicants who believe they were discriminated against based on their sex. The organization plans to file a lawsuit against the Secret Service, alleging "discriminatory and dangerous civil rights violations."
Critics of DEI policies argue that they may prioritize diversity over qualifications, potentially lowering overall standards within the agency. Some commentators have specifically questioned the presence of female agents in the Secret Service, suggesting that more qualified male candidates may have been passed over.
However, former President Trump has publicly praised the female agents who protected him during the assassination attempt, countering some of the criticism directed at them.
The assassination attempt has also brought scrutiny to the leadership of the Secret Service, particularly former Director Kimberly Cheatle. Critics have accused Cheatle of prioritizing "woke" ideologies rooted in DEI over focusing solely on hiring the best candidates for the agency.
Cheatle had previously stated her goal of having 30% female recruits by 2030, with a 2023 recruitment brochure indicating that 24.7% of the Secret Service workforce was female at that time.
Cristen Wohlgemuth, president and CEO of MSLF, expressed concern about the potential impact of DEI culture on the agency's effectiveness:
Those comments speak to something deeper at the Secret Service -- how much have Biden-Harris appointees let DEI culture fester at the agency? And did that culture play a role in the massive security breach at the rally in Pennsylvania? DEI hiring policies are both illegal and dangerous, and must be challenged at every turn.
The Secret Service's DEI director, Loucious Hires, has previously emphasized the importance of DEI within the agency, calling it a "mission imperative." The agency has stated its aim to be the "gold standard" of DEI in its recruitment efforts.
However, critics argue that prioritizing DEI may compromise the agency's primary mission of protecting high-profile individuals and securing important events. They contend that merit should be the sole criterion for hiring and promotion within the Secret Service.
Wohlgemuth emphasized the critical nature of the Secret Service's role and the importance of maintaining high standards:
U.S. Secret Service agents represent the pinnacle of American law enforcement, dedicating their lives to safeguarding protectees, vital locations, and major events. If you're a current or former agent, or even an applicant, who believes the agency has compromised its mission for the sake of DEI, we urge you to contact us. When the safety of the leader of the free world is at stake, only merit should matter—nothing else.
The investigation into the Secret Service's DEI policies has sparked a debate about the balance between diversity initiatives and maintaining the highest standards of security. The MSLF's probe aims to examine how these policies may have affected the agency's performance, particularly in light of the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump. As the investigation unfolds, it is likely to generate further discussion about the role of DEI in critical security organizations and its potential impact on their core missions.
