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Ronald L. Rowe Jr.

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For persons of a similar name, see Ronald Rowe (disambiguation).

Ronald Rowe
Rowe in 2017
Director of the United States Secret Service
Acting
Assumed office
July 23, 2024
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byKimberly Cheatle
Deputy Director of the United States Secret Service
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Personal details
Education

Ronald L. Rowe Jr. is an American law enforcement officer who is currently serving as the acting director of the United States Secret Service. Rowe was appointed to the position after former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in 2024, amidst intense criticism of the Secret Service following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

Early life and education

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Rowe graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland in College Park. In 2007, he obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Administration from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. He completed the Executive Leaders Program in Homeland Defense and Security in 2019, at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.[1]

Career

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In 1995, Rowe joined the West Palm Beach Police Department and worked there as a patrol officer for four years, rising to the rank of Sergeant.[2]

In 1999, Rowe began working for the Secret Service. As a National Security and Law Enforcement Policy Advisor in 2011, he supported the National Security Council in formulating the President's counterstrategies against state-sponsored economic espionage and the theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets, from the United States. In addition, he was honored for his appointment to the Presidential Protective Detail, which he served in from 2004 to 2008 while stationed in New York City as part of the Secret Service's September 11 attacks response.[3] He was later a staff member of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2008 to 2011.[1]

In addition to coordinating significant security operations, Rowe has worked with numerous governmental and law enforcement organizations over his tenure with the U.S. Secret Service. Throughout federal, state, and local governments, he coordinated the activities of nearly 7,000 personnel during a National Special Security Event (NSSE) in 2016. Regarding cybersecurity, Rowe led the creation of several analytical products while serving as a joint duty assignment to the National Intelligence Council in 2013. Later, the U.S. Intelligence Community regarded their products as some of the most authoritative assessments of the difficulties and risks to national security that the country faced.[1]

Rowe held executive positions as the director's chief of staff in 2021, the Office of Protective Operations' deputy assistant director from 2018 to 2021, and the Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs' deputy assistant director from 2017 to 2018. Subsequently, he worked for the agency as the Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs Assistant Director. He was in charge of overseeing the Secret Service's interactions with the Homeland Security Department, Congress, and other governmental entities.[1] In April 2023, he was appointed the Secret Service's Deputy Director. In this capacity, Rowe was in charge of directly supervising the agency's everyday protection and investigative activities. In addition to overseeing the agency's policy, he brought newer technologies to strengthen its defensive countermeasures.[1]

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 13, 2024, during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania,[4] was criticized and deemed the agency's performance as "unacceptable," but she declined to step down.[5][6][7] On July 17, Rowe gave a briefing to lawmakers regarding the progress of the investigation into the incident and the shortcomings of the Secret Service.[4] In a Wall Street Journal interview, he stood up for the director amid increasing calls for her dismissal, stating, "When you're in the midst of a crisis, it takes toughness. It takes intelligence. And it takes also a little bit of strategy." He went on to say: "And she is demonstrating all of those traits at this time."[3] On July 23, 2024, Cheatle announced her resignation in the face of mounting criticism for security failings and calls for her resignation from Republicans as well as Democrats.[8]

Interim Director of the United States Secret Service

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On July 23, 2024, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, who oversees the Secret Service, named Rowe as the agency's interim head.[9][8][1] In a staff letter obtained by the Associated Press, Rowe stated, "At this moment in time, we must remain focused." "We will rebuild the American public's trust and confidence, as well as the trust placed in us to protect them," he continued.[6]

In testimony before the U.S. Congress in September 2024, Rowe described the attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania as a "failure on multiple levels".[10] After another suspected assassination attempt against Trump took place in Florida, Rowe praised a secret service agent for defending Trump, while acknowledging that the Secret Service failed to sweep the golf course where the attempt took place.[11][12] Following the two assassination attempts against Trump, Rowe ordered a "paradigm shift" for the Secret Service's protective duties, stating that the agency needed to move from a "reactive model" to a "readiness model."[13]

In December 2024, Rowe testified before Congress, taking responsibility for the agency’s failures and outlining corrective measures.[14] He announced initiatives including enhanced technical assets, expanded staffing, improved retention efforts, and a new "chief wellness officer" to support mental health.[14] These reforms aimed to address gaps in intelligence, communication, and protective protocols.[14] The hearing, driven by a bipartisan investigation, included tense exchanges. U.S. representative Pat Fallon criticized Rowe for not deploying additional protective units and for his absence from the rally site after the attack.[15] Rowe refused to answer questions, emphasizing ongoing improvements and rejecting claims of politicizing his role.[14][15]

Rowe has prioritized preparing the Secret Service for future challenges, including the 2028 United States presidential election, with plans to hire nearly 1,000 new special agents by 2025. His leadership also focused on cultural reform, leadership development, and collaboration with partners like DARPA to incorporate advanced technologies, such as autonomous security systems at high-profile sites.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe, Jr". United States Secret Service. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Whigham, Julius II (July 30, 2024). "'A consummate professional': Secret Service director once worked for West Palm Beach police". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Lotz, Avery (July 23, 2024). "What to know about new acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe". Axios. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Reinstein, Julia; Barr, Luke; Owen, Quinn; Mallin, Alexander; Date, Jack (July 15, 2024). "ABC Exclusive: Trump rally shooting 'unacceptable,' Secret Service director says". ABC News. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Broadwater, Luke (July 22, 2024). "Live Updates: Secret Service Chief Testifies on 'Failed' Response at Trump Rally". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Takeaways from the House hearing with Secret Service Director Cheatle on the Trump assassination attempt". CNN. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Barber, C. Ryan; Gurman, Sadie (July 22, 2024). "Secret Service Director's Testimony Sparks Bipartisan Calls for Her Resignation". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Solis, Nathan; Winton, Richard (July 23, 2024). "Secret Service director resigns amid anger over Trump shooting security lapses". Yahoo News. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "Statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas on the Appointment of Ronald L. Rowe, Jr. as Acting Secret Service Director". Homeland Security. July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  10. ^ "Testimony of Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe, Jr., Before the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | United States Secret Service". www.secretservice.gov. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  11. ^ "What to know about new Secret Service director after second Trump assassination attempt". USA Today. September 16, 2024.
  12. ^ "Secret Service Admits Not Searching Golf Course Perimeter, Drawing New Scrutiny". The New York Times. September 17, 2024.
  13. ^ "Secret Service chief makes remarkable admission: We need a 'paradigm shift'". NBC News. September 16, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e Alemany, Jacqueline (December 5, 2024). "Shouting match erupts as lawmakers grill acting Secret Service director". Washington Post. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Carney, Jordain (December 5, 2024). "Tense moment at assassination attempts hearing". Politico. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
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