Trump taps Sean Curran as next Secret Service director

FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by the Secret Service after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. Trump has appointedSean Curran (R) as director of the U.S. Secret Service. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File photo

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he has selected Sean Curran to serve as director of the U.S.Secret Service.

Curran was part of Trump's security details during an attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July.

"He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin’s bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania," Trump said in a statement. 

"I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before."

Curran would replace Ron Rowe, who has served as acting director since July, when Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the agency came under harsh scrutiny for its failure to stop a would-be assassin from wounding Trump during a campaign rally.

Curran started his career at the Secret Service in 2001 as special agent in the Newark field Office where he conducted protection, intelligence, investigations, recruitment and logistics support for the district, said the president. 

Trump said Curran served as assistant special agent in charge of the presidential protective division during his first term.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; editing by Costas Pitas and Michael Perry)