As was the case during his first term, President Donald Trump and his administration are once again dealing with leaks of sensitive and, often, top-secret information but have redoubled efforts to tamp down the leaks and punish those responsible.
The U.S. Secret Service’s chief spokesman and two other communications officials have reportedly been placed on administrative leave amid an investigation into potential misconduct involving the agency.
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Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief of communications, was among three employees escorted from the agency’s Washington headquarters Monday, according to RealClearPolitics, which cited multiple sources familiar with the situation.
The employees reportedly had their security clearances suspended and were designated “do not admit,” effectively preventing them from accessing Secret Service facilities while the investigation continues.
One source claimed the FBI and CIA are participating in an investigation examining whether classified or otherwise sensitive government information was improperly provided to members of the media.
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All three officials worked in the Secret Service’s communications operation and served in civilian, non-law-enforcement positions.
The precise nature of the alleged misconduct and whether any of the employees could ultimately face disciplinary or criminal action remain unclear.
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The Secret Service confirmed Tuesday that three employees have been placed on administrative leave while its Office of Professional Responsibility conducts an internal review.
The OPR is responsible for investigating allegations of employee misconduct and determining whether agency personnel violated internal policies or professional standards.
🚨🚨@RCPolitics EXCLUSIVE and BREAKING: Three Secret Service officials/agents were walked out of their offices on Monday and made “do not admits” as part of a criminal investigation into leaked classified information to the media, according to two sources familiar with the… pic.twitter.com/96wlHSJ152
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) August 25, 2026
The Secret Service, however, did not publicly identify the three employees, disclose the specific allegations under investigation or confirm reports that the inquiry involves the possible unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or classified information.
Placing employees on administrative leave and temporarily suspending their security clearances while an investigation is underway are standard precautionary measures in cases involving potential misconduct or sensitive information.
Neither action represents a determination that any of the three officials engaged in wrongdoing, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Secret Service said its employees are held to strict standards of professionalism and integrity and are expected to demonstrate a commitment to duty, honesty and courage while carrying out their responsibilities.
The agency declined to provide additional details about the three employees placed on administrative leave, citing the ongoing internal review.
It remains unclear whether the investigation is connected to the disclosure of sensitive details surrounding President Trump’s secret departure from Turkey earlier this year.
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Trump has acknowledged that he was quietly moved onto a different military aircraft after the Secret Service and military received intelligence indicating that Iran could be planning an attack.
Reports indicated that officials were particularly concerned about a potential surface-to-air missile threat targeting Air Force One.
As part of the security operation, some White House staff members, Secret Service personnel and journalists reportedly departed aboard the presidential aircraft while Trump was discreetly transferred to another plane.
The subsequent disclosure of details surrounding the highly sensitive operation triggered a separate leak investigation originating inside the White House.
FBI Director Kash Patel was reportedly involved in launching that inquiry, while Secret Service personnel were questioned about how information concerning the president’s movements and the security operation reached the media.
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Whether that investigation is connected to the current administrative leave involving the three Secret Service communications officials has not been publicly established.
The Justice Department has pursued several leak investigations involving sensitive information connected to presidential and vice-presidential security operations.
Federal prosecutors previously subpoenaed *New York Times* journalists following the newspaper’s reporting about security concerns involving the Qatari-gifted aircraft slated for eventual use as Air Force One.
Those subpoenas were subsequently withdrawn.
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A separate investigation began in July involving a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail.
The agent was suspected of improperly providing information concerning the vice president’s protective operations and travel schedule.
The Secret Service placed the agent on administrative leave while investigators examined the allegations.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
