Secret Service official says threats to those the agency protects have never been higher

There have been approximately 10,000 threats to government officials, including Supreme Court justices, so far in 2026, according to the official, a 40% increase in cases over the same period last year.

By Kevin Killough

Published: July 23, 2026 8:11am

A senior U.S. Secret Service official said on Wednesday that the "threat environment" for the people the agency protects, which includes President Donald Trump, has never been higher.

The official spoke to reporters at a background briefing on the condition that their name not be used.

"What we're seeing now is something I've never seen before," the official said, CNBC reported.

There have been approximately 10,000 threats to government officials, including Supreme Court justices, so far in 2026, according to the official. This is a 40% increase in cases over the same period last year.

The official said that not only is the volume of threats increasing, so is their complexity. The official said the Secret Service has seen the number of mental health commitals of people suspected of making threats to those the agency protects just by a factor of 10.