President Trump praised Secret Service Director Sean Curran and the men and women of the agency in a post published early Monday, as a new interview with Curran recounted the moments he shielded the president during the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"God bless Director Sean Curran and the men and women of the @SecretService," the president said.
Curran Was the Lead Agent When the Shooting Started
According to the account, few people know the risks more than Curran, who two years ago was the lead agent protecting then-candidate Trump when he was campaigning in Butler.
Curran was among the agents who shielded the president when Thomas Crookes fired eight rounds at the stage from a rooftop 155 yards away.
The director had not talked a lot about what happened at Butler until now.
"I haven't really reflected on it. I've kept myself busy. I've just worked and worked. I've gone from assignment to assignment so that I've probably taken my mind off of it," Curran said.
'What We Trained to Do'
Curran described the response as instinct built from training, and something no agent ever wants to face.
"It's what we trained to do. It's what you never want to do," he said.
As the lead agent, his focus was on the president and the next move, with no room for anything else.
"What goes through your mind is the lead agent. I mean, we were faced to face and then I have to think about the next move. You don't have time to think about anything else," Curran said.
'I Am His Vest'
Curran framed his protection of the president as a personal duty, describing the body armor he wears in terms of the man he shields.
"I am his vest. You know, I wear my vest for him. It's not for me," he said.
The president's praise for Curran and the agency's rank and file came in the same post that carried the director's account.
