
The Secret Service is one of the oldest federal investigative law enforcement agencies in the United States. It was founded in 1865 to combat the counterfeiting of US currency, but in 1901, following the assassination of President William McKinley, it was tasked with its second mission: the protection of the president. Today, the Secret Service's mission is two-fold: protection of the president, vice president and others; and investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States. The Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, vice president, and other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President. This includes former presidents and their spouses for the rest of their lives, unless they decline protection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The Secret Service's mission | Protection of the president, vice president and others; and investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States |
| Who the Secret Service is authorised to protect | The president, the vice president, other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President, the president-elect and vice president-elect, former presidents and their spouses (for life), children of former presidents up to the age of 16, major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election |
| Who the Secret Service calls upon to assist | Other federal, state and local agencies, the Secret Service Uniformed Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Park Police |
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What You'll Learn
- Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families
- Secret Service protection for the president and vice president during travel
- Secret Service protection for presidential and vice presidential candidates
- Secret Service protection for the president, vice president and others
- Secret Service investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States

Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families
The Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, the vice president, the president-elect and vice president-elect, and other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President. In 1965, Congress authorised the Secret Service to protect former presidents and their spouses during their lifetime, unless they decline protection.
In 2012, the Former Presidents Protection Act was passed, reversing a previous law that limited Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families to 10 years if they served after 1997. Former President George W. Bush and future former presidents will receive Secret Service protection for the rest of their lives. Children of former presidents up to the age of 16 are also assured protection under the new law.
When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with the host city, state and local law enforcement, as well as public safety officials, to jointly implement the necessary security measures. In regard to presidential campaigns, the Secret Service is authorised by law to protect major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. The term "major presidential and vice-presidential candidates" means those individuals identified as such by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with an advisory committee.
The Secret Service is one of the nation's oldest federal investigative law enforcement agencies, founded in 1865 as a branch of the US Treasury Department. It was originally created to combat the counterfeiting of US currency, which was a serious problem at the time. Following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, the Secret Service was first tasked with its second mission: the protection of the president.
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Secret Service protection for the president and vice president during travel
The United States Secret Service is one of the oldest federal investigative law enforcement agencies in the country, founded in 1865 as a branch of the US Treasury Department. Its original purpose was to combat the counterfeiting of US currency, but in 1901, following the assassination of President William McKinley, the Secret Service was tasked with its second mission: the protection of the president.
Today, the Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, the vice president, the president-elect and vice president-elect, and other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President. When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with the host city, state and local law enforcement, as well as public safety officials, to jointly implement the necessary security measures.
In addition to protecting current officeholders, the Secret Service is also responsible for the security of former presidents and their spouses during their lifetimes, unless they decline protection. This protection was extended in 2012 with the Former Presidents Protection Act, which reversed a previous law that limited Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families to 10 years if they served after 1997.
The Secret Service also provides protection for major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. This protection is authorised by 18 United States Code § 3056 and is determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with an advisory committee.
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Secret Service protection for presidential and vice presidential candidates
The Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, the vice president, the president-elect, the vice president-elect, and other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President. The Secret Service is also authorised to protect former presidents and their spouses for life, unless protection is declined, as well as their children up to the age of 16.
In regard to presidential campaigns, the Secret Service is authorised by law to protect major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. The term "major presidential and vice-presidential candidates" is defined as those individuals identified as such by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with an advisory committee.
The Secret Service works with other federal, state, and local agencies to maintain a safe environment for the president and other protectees. This includes the Secret Service Uniformed Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Park Police, who patrol the streets and parks near the White House. When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with the host city, state, and local law enforcement, as well as public safety officials, to jointly implement the necessary security measures.
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Secret Service protection for the president, vice president and others
The United States Secret Service is one of the oldest federal investigative law enforcement agencies in the country. It was founded in 1865 as a branch of the US Treasury Department, originally created to combat the counterfeiting of US currency. In 1901, following the assassination of President William McKinley, the Secret Service was tasked with its second mission: the protection of the president.
Today, the Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, the vice president, the president-elect and vice president-elect, and other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President. The Secret Service also protects major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election.
In addition, the Secret Service provides lifetime protection for former presidents and their spouses, unless protection is declined, as well as for the children of former presidents up to the age of 16.
To maintain a safe environment for the president and other protectees, the Secret Service works closely with other federal, state, and local agencies, including the Uniformed Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the US Park Police, who patrol the streets and parks near the White House. When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with local law enforcement and public safety officials to implement necessary security measures.
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Secret Service investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States
The United States Secret Service is one of the oldest federal investigative law enforcement agencies in the country. It was founded in 1865 as a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department to combat the counterfeiting of U.S. currency, which was a serious problem at the time.
Following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, the Secret Service was tasked with a second mission: the protection of the president. Today, the Secret Service's mission is twofold: protection of the president, vice president, and other individuals as designated by executive order; and investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States.
The Secret Service is authorised by law to protect the president, vice president, and other individuals in the line of succession to the Office of the President, as well as major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. Former presidents and their spouses are also protected for life, unless they decline protection.
To maintain a safe environment for the president and other protectees, the Secret Service works closely with other federal, state, and local agencies, including the Uniformed Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Park Police, who patrol the streets and parks near the White House. When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with local law enforcement and public safety officials to implement necessary security measures.
While the Secret Service has a critical role in protecting the president and investigating financial crimes, there is no indication that they would break the law to do so. Their operations are carried out within the framework of the law, with the support and collaboration of various law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
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Frequently asked questions
The Secret Service is authorised to protect the president, vice president, presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses, and former presidents and their families.
The Secret Service's mission is two-fold: protection of the president, vice president and others; and investigations into crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States.
In 2012, the Former Presidents Protection Act reversed a previous law that limited Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families to 10 years if they served after 1997. Now, former presidents and their spouses will receive Secret Service protection for the rest of their lives.
The Secret Service was first tasked with protecting the president in 1901, following the assassination of President William McKinley in Buffalo, New York.











































