Oklahoma Republican proposes ‘sex-neutral’ standards for Secret Service agents

Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) introduced a bill in the House on Monday that would mandate “sex-neutral” assessments for Secret Service agents, as some Republicans zero in on female agents after the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

Brecheen’s “Secret Service Readiness Act” would change the agency’s fitness standards to be the same for all agents.

“Enough with all the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives — we need our Secret Service agents to be fully prepared and trained to do their jobs,” Brecheen said in a statement.

Conservatives quickly latched onto the idea that DEI contributed to the agency’s security failures during the attempted assassination of Trump earlier this month, specifically the prevalence of female Secret Service agents, with some positing that women are less physically capable or that their inclusion in the service is “woke.” 

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other top security officials have strongly denounced such attacks.

“In the days following the attempted assassination of former President Trump, some people have made public statements questioning the presence of women in law enforcement, including in the United States Secret Service,” Mayorkas said in a statement Saturday. “These assertions are baseless and insulting.”

Members of Trump’s inner circle, including his family, have also stuck up for female agents.

The Secret Service has faced increased scrutiny in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump last week, with some questioning how the gunman had access to a roof that had a clear line of sight to the former president.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has faced calls to resign amid the criticism. She was grilled by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday.