Mnuchin pushing Trump to put Secret Service under Treasury control: report

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has reportedly been pushing President Trump to put the Secret Service back under the control of the Treasury Department. 

Discussions on the matter have been taking place between the White House, the Treasury and Secret Service officials over the past year, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing administration officials. 

{mosads}The Times reported Trump supports the idea of placing the service under Treasury control, but some senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have been contesting the move. The DHS officials have expressed concerns about no longer controlling an agency that includes cybersecurity and investigative elements. 

The Secret Service was moved under DHS in 2003 after the department was created.

Mnuchin reportedly brought high-ranking Secret Service agents to his department to talk about the potential shift. He has expressed interest in its cybersecurity and anticounterfeiting operations and has had ongoing discussions with officials on the matter, officials told the newspaper. 

He also publicly expressed interest in financial cybersecurity at a March event sponsored by Axios. 

“I worry about cybersecurity in that we need to have a safe and sound financial infrastructure,” he said. “This is a real issue today.”

The Hill has reached out to the Treasury and Homeland Security departments, as well as the Secret Service, for comment. A Treasury Department spokesman did not give the Times a comment on the discussions and a Secret Service spokeswoman declined to comment. 

Giving the Treasury control of the Secret Service would require congressional approval, according to the Times.