Secret Service approval plummets to historic lows

A new Gallup poll finds that the Secret Service's rating fell to its lowest point in a decade, accentuating the crisis of confidence in the institution whose motto is "worthy of trust and confidence."

Thirty-six percent of Americans rated the agency's performance as "poor," while 25% considered it "only fair," 8% "excellent" and just 24% "good." The pollster calls the results atypical, because the agency "has typically enjoyed broadly positive ratings." In the latest survey, however, the positive rating plummeted 23 points and its negative rating rose 23 points.

The main reason for the plunge, the report explains, is the attacks on former President Donald Trump. Notably, interviews for the survey came to include only partial opinions after the second attempt, so they sense that the current rating may be even lower.

The Secret Service has been in the spotlight since the assassination attempt against the Republican candidate in Butler, Pa. That episode has been followed by internal and congressional investigations, resignations and personnel punishments, a second assassination attempt that added even more criticism and the admission by the agency's acting director, Ronald Rowe, that it needs a complete overhaul.

From star pupil to the back of the class

The 23-point plunge is one of the worst on record for any agency or department evaluated by Gallup. The Federal Reserve had a similar drop following the Great Recession, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lost 24 points for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is worth noting that just five years ago the agency enjoyed a 69% positive rating. Back then, only 8% disapproved of its performance and 19% considered it so-so.

The Secret Service was not the only public agency with poor performance. Of the 14 included in the study, only the Postal Service merited a thumbs-up from a majority of U.S. adults.

The agency with the slogan "worthy of trust and confidence" ranked near the bottom of the list, above only the Department of Justice (29% excellent or good image) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (28%). The Secret Service was tied with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Reserve Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The top-rated agencies, on the other hand, in addition to the Postal Service, are the Department of Defense (50%) and NASA (47%).

Partisan divide

Both Republicans and Democrats are dissatisfied with the agency charged with ensuring the safety of public officials and candidates.

While the drop in rating among Democratic voters was 18 points to 47% approval, among Republicans it was 26 points to 20%.

Likewise, Democrats have a better opinion of state agencies or departments in general. When Trump was president, however, the opposite was true, and Republicans rated these institutions better. The partisan differences become more pronounced with the CDC, with a 46% difference, and the FBI, with 41%.