First published 2018
The United States Secret Service protects Presidents and their families, but former officer Gary Byrne exposes the agency's concealed problems. Byrne, who wrote the bestseller Crisis of Character, argues that catastrophic failures and internal decay threaten this vital organization. He documents how agents leave in large numbers while remaining staff face dangerous overwork. Political considerations drive management decisions rather than employee welfare. The agency that Americans view as heroic actually suffers from bureaucratic rot and cultural breakdown spanning decades. Byrne witnessed these problems firsthand during his service. As the Secret Service works to protect the current administration, he warns that time runs short to fix systemic issues. The book reveals what Byrne learned about security failures that endanger agents, the President, and the nation. He shares his observations hoping the agency can reform before crisis strikes.
Genres: history, american, politics, non-fiction, 21st-century, government
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: whistleblower
Setting: United States
Period: 21st Century
Audio CD · Center Street