The Secret Service is investigating after one of its agents allegedly tried to bring his wife onto a plane for President Donald Trump's recent trip to Scotland. A source told Scripps News that the woman attempted to use a plane that carries vehicles for the president's motorcade.
The agency says the agent’s wife attended an official briefing and traveled with agency personnel to the "distinguished visitor lounge" at Joint Base Andrews, where she was discovered and asked to leave. This marks the latest misstep for the beleaguered agency.
The agent is based in Dallas. The woman is a member of the U.S. Air Force.
A source told Scripps News that the agent received bad advice from a lower-level supervisor who said it was acceptable for her to attend if the Air Force approved. The source said the Air Force indicated it was fine as long as the Secret Service did as well. The Secret Service agent allegedly brought her to Andrews Air Force Base.
The flight coordinator denied her boarding, and she never got on the plane. The source labeled it an "administrative miscommunication."
The president was asked about the matter upon his return to the United States on Tuesday and expressed confidence that agency Director Sean Curran would "take care of it."
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"Are you going to leave the wife in the car?" President Trump said. "Wouldn't you think that might be a little dangerous? I don't know if that has proper compression. I don't know, that's a strange one. I just heard that two minutes ago. I think Sean's taking care of it."
The Secret Service released a statement regarding the incident.
"The U.S. Secret Service is conducting a personnel investigation after an employee attempted to invite his spouse—a member of the United States Air Force—aboard a mission support flight," the agency said. "The aircraft, operated by the U.S. Air Force, was being used by the Secret Service to transport personnel and equipment. Prior to the overseas departure, the employee was advised by supervisors that such action was prohibited, and the spouse was subsequently prevented from taking the flight. No Secret Service protectees were aboard, and there was no impact on our overseas protective operations."
