A representative from the agency stated that Rowe ‘is currently enjoying a well-earned break prior to his retirement.’
Ronald Rowe, who was at the helm of the U.S. Secret Service following the attempted assassination of then-candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is set to retire, as confirmed by an agency spokesperson.
Rowe, the deputy director of the U.S. Secret Service, had previously taken on the role of acting director after Kimberly Cheatle
resigned in July 2024 amidst criticisms regarding the agency’s response to the assassination attempt.
After taking office on January 20, Trump
selected Sean Curran as the director of the Secret Service.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi informed The Epoch Times on Tuesday that Rowe will be departing after taking “a well-earned break” from his duties, although he did not specify a timeline.
“Deputy Director Ronald Rowe, a highly valued executive and leader of the United States Secret Service, has communicated his intention to retire following 26 years of committed service,” Guglielmi stated in an email.
Rowe was promoted to the agency’s deputy director in April 2023. He has held multiple positions since joining the Secret Service in 1999, including chief of staff to the director, deputy assistant director for the Office of Protective Operations, and deputy assistant director for the Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs. Throughout his career, Rowe coordinated several significant security operations, as noted in his
biography.
The Secret Service has faced criticism following two assassination attempts on Trump—the
first occurring at his rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024, where a bullet narrowly missed his right ear, and the
second at his Florida golf club in September 2024, where police apprehended a man suspected of plotting to kill Trump.
In his role as acting director, Rowe has provided testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Taskforce investigating these assassination attempts. He
informed lawmakers on December 5, 2024, that the Secret Service is in the process of “reorganizing and reimagining” its operations.
“One of the organizational changes: I’ve instructed the Office of Protective Operations to establish and develop an auditing capability to routinely assess our performance and share findings with our training office,” Rowe mentioned.
An internal review regarding the Pennsylvania incident
revealed that the Secret Service inadequately collaborated with local law enforcement, including positioning its agents in a separate room from the county’s command post. Communication difficulties were attributed to the use of multiple radio channels and mobile devices.
By the time
the assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was fatally shot by a Secret Service counter-sniper, Crooks had already discharged eight rounds, one of which struck Trump’s ear. Several bullets hit other individuals at the rally, resulting in one death and two injuries.
Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
