Secret Service plans unprecedented staff surge with anxious eye on 2028

The Secret Service has launched one of the most ambitious hiring efforts in its history, seeking to bring on thousands of agents and officers to ease strain on its overstretched workforce and prepare for multiple major events in 2028, including the presidential election and the Olympics.

Service leaders say they want to hire 4,000 new employees by 2028 — a surge that law enforcement experts say has no clear precedent and reflects mounting concerns about staff burnout, a loss of experienced agents and a relentless operational tempo. The added staff would make up for expected retirements and increase the size of the agency by about 20 percent, to more than 10,000 for the first time.