The U.S. Secret Service, already under intense scrutiny following two recent assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, is facing new criticism as it prepares to send employees to an LGBTQ-focused event at Florida’s Walt Disney World.
The event, the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, is set to take place from October 7-10 and aims to promote LGBTQ diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
The summit features breakout sessions, a gala, and various other events to foster a sense of inclusion and belonging, according to the event’s website. “Individually and as a collective community, we can break down barriers, bring everyone along, and illuminate the way forward where workplaces—and the world—are rich in inclusion and belonging,” the website states.
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The Secret Service’s decision to participate in the summit comes at a time when the agency is facing serious concerns about its ability to adequately protect high-profile figures like former President Trump.
Recent reports have revealed significant missteps in security planning during a July 13 assassination attempt on Trump, which resulted in one spectator’s death, two others seriously wounded, and Trump himself being grazed on the ear.
A Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report released Wednesday criticized the Secret Service for its handling of security during that event.
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Despite these ongoing concerns, the Secret Service is expected to send two staff members to the Out & Equal summit, as confirmed by an internal email encouraging agents to nominate others for the trip.
‼️‼️ EXCLUSIVE: The Secret Service’s Office of Equity Diversity and Inclusion today at 11:09 a.m. ET sent out an agency-wide request (see email below) for nominees to attend an all-expense paid trip to an LGBTQ+ “Out and Equal” Workplace Summit at Disney World in Orlando Oct.… pic.twitter.com/7foQoFZag8
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) September 4, 2024
The decision has sparked backlash from conservative groups, who argue that the agency should be focusing on its core mission—protecting U.S. leaders—rather than diverting resources to events unrelated to security.
Terry Schilling, president of the conservative American Principles Project, was critical of the move. “To say this is a bad look for the Secret Service might be the understatement of the decade,” Schilling told Fox News Digital. “There have now been two near-assassinations of a former president in the last two months. The readiness and basic competence of the agency is now rightly under scrutiny. Is this really the right time to be sending staff members to Disney World?”
Schilling further criticized the agency’s priorities, particularly its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. “Even worse is what this says about the priorities of the Secret Service. At a moment when the agency should be focusing on hiring the best personnel possible, they are instead continuing to focus on the failed and unpopular principles of DEI,” Schilling said. “If the last couple months have made anything clear, it’s that the Secret Service doesn’t need more nonbinary-identifying agents. Rather, it needs more ‘good’ agents.”
Adding to the agency’s challenges, the Secret Service is reportedly operating with about 400 fewer employees than Congress has authorized, raising further concerns about its ability to fulfill its protective duties.
Schilling emphasized that personal characteristics such as sexual orientation should not influence the agency’s mission. “A person’s sexual preferences should have zero bearing on their ability to protect our nation’s leaders,” he said. “So, why is the Secret Service spending so much time and resources obsessing over LGBTQ+ issues? This is a serious scandal that the agency needs to address immediately.”
In response to the criticism, a Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the agency is limiting participation in conferences to staff who do not impact current protective operations. “Two U.S. Secret Service administrative staff members, who are responsible for the implementation of federal special emphasis programs, are attending the 2024 Out & Equal Workplace Summit. These personnel are not law enforcement,” the statement said.
As the Secret Service continues to face investigations into its recent failures and concerns about staffing levels, the decision to send staff to the Florida event has drawn attention to the agency’s focus and resource allocation during a critical time.
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Diversity is fine, but NOT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO PREVENT ASSASINATION ATTEMPTS, YOU FOOLS. GET THE BEST, THE BRIGHTEST, THE MOST COMPETEENT AND F DIVERSITY.
Diversity Over Competence IS UNAMERICAN.
Disgusting!!!!!
Well, that inclination is inevitable when USSS is infested with DEI hires, perverts who not only attend but PARTICIPATE in drag shows for kids, support every leftist cause from environmental terrorism to gutting our U.S. Constitution! There really is no way to clean up these organizations with once noble goals. Fedgov has been corrupted to its core!!