Well, it looks like Capitol Hill is the latest stage for a political soap opera, and this week’s episode features Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) going toe-to-toe in a shouting match. The topic? Nothing less than security failures surrounding attempted assassination plots against President-elect Donald Trump, and the drama couldn’t be juicier.
Let’s set the stage: Fallon grilled Rowe during a hearing on the Secret Service’s recent blunders, using a photo from a 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York as evidence. The image showed Rowe standing conspicuously close to some of the nation’s top leaders, including Biden, Harris, Trump, and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Fallon’s questions weren’t exactly subtle, essentially accusing Rowe of using the solemn event as a self-serving PR opportunity rather than focusing on the Secret Service’s actual job: keeping leaders alive.
Rowe’s response? A long-winded trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his time at Ground Zero post-9/11. Admirable as that may be, Fallon wasn’t here for the nostalgia tour. He cut Rowe off, demanding answers about why Rowe was front-and-center at the event, seemingly out of position and putting agents—and by extension, the lives of key leaders—at risk.
And then, the gloves came off. Fallon accused Rowe of staging a “vanity project,” suggesting that his high-visibility positioning was more about auditioning for the permanent director role than fulfilling his current duties. Rowe, clearly not a fan of being called out, snapped back with accusations that Fallon was out of line. At one point, Rowe tried to redirect the conversation to honoring a Secret Service member who died on 9/11, which Fallon dismissed as a dodge, calling it “horse hockey.” Classy, right?
Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA) had to intervene, banging his gavel like a frustrated parent trying to restore order at a dinner table brawl. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.
The heated exchange underscores a much larger issue: the growing scrutiny of the Secret Service under Rowe’s interim leadership. After Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation amid backlash over the Trump assassination attempts, Rowe stepped in, presumably to clean house. Instead, he’s found himself at the center of accusations of incompetence, poor judgment, and now, playing politics with his own agency.
Heated exchange between @RepPatFallon and U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Rowe.
Rowe: “Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!”
Fallon: “I’m not. I’m invoking -”
Rowe: “You are, sir. You are way out of line!” pic.twitter.com/LR28SDci5I
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 5, 2024
Fallon didn’t hold back after the hearing, doubling down on his criticism of Rowe’s alleged “vanity project.” He flatly accused Rowe of prioritizing optics over safety, suggesting that his conspicuous presence behind the nation’s top leaders was an audition for a job he’s “not going to get.” Ouch.
.@ChadPergram asks about heated exchange: “Doesn’t that distract from the bipartisanship? All people are going to remember is this shouting.
@RepPatFallon: “That’s on the director because he started screaming…I think it was vanity project. I think he was auditioning for the… pic.twitter.com/iEM2uawyyd
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 5, 2024
Here’s the bottom line: whether or not Fallon’s accusations hold water, the fact remains that the Secret Service has a serious credibility problem right now. When the agency tasked with protecting the president can’t seem to protect its own reputation, it’s a bad look all around. Fallon’s not wrong to demand answers, and if Rowe can’t handle tough questions without losing his cool, maybe he’s not the right guy for the job.
As for Rowe, if this hearing was part of his audition, it’s safe to say he might not make it past the first round. The American people deserve a Secret Service that puts safety above politics—and leadership that can take the heat without throwing a tantrum. Let’s hope they find it soon.
