JD Vance Secret Service leak inquiry targets member of his detail
The Secret Service says a member of Vice President JD Vance’s security team is under review over a suspected news leak.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
The Secret Service is investigating a possible JD Vance Secret Service leak involving a member of the vice president’s security detail, the agency said Thursday. The case matters because the agency said the allegations concern information that could affect the safety of a person it protects.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the employee is facing an internal review and could also face a criminal inquiry. He said the allegations involve a possible breach of “operational and information security.”
Guglielmi did not discuss the specific conduct under review. He said in a statement that the agency would not tolerate behavior that might endanger a protectee.
The Secret Service did not name the person under investigation. The Associated Press reported that Vance’s office directed questions about the matter to the Secret Service.
Why is the Secret Service investigating JD Vance’s detail?
The agency said the investigation is connected to an MS NOW report published last week. According to the Secret Service, that report said some agents had privately voiced frustration about last-minute travel requests from Vance and his family.
The Secret Service did not say whether the person under investigation was accused of speaking to MS NOW, providing information for the report or taking some other action. The agency also did not announce any disciplinary action Thursday.
A security detail is the team assigned to protect a government official and, in some cases, family members. The Secret Service’s statement framed the matter as a security issue, not just an internal workplace dispute.
What is known about Vance’s family situation?
The Associated Press reported that Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, live with their young children at the vice president’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. The family’s travel and security arrangements fall within the Secret Service’s protective work.
Vance and his wife welcomed their fourth child, Alec Neel Vance, on Sunday, according to the Associated Press. AP reported that the baby is the first born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years.
Alec joins three older siblings: Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4, AP reported. The Secret Service did not link the birth to the investigation, and it provided no additional public details about the timing or scope of its review.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.