The Secret Service
How did the Secret Service evolve?
4.8 (35)
47 mins
Explore the history of the Secret Service, from its origins protecting money to safeguarding presidents. Discover the challenges the Secret Service faced in adapting to the changing needs of each president.
Ep 1:
Born From Blood: A Secret Service Origin
Born amid Civil War chaos to fight rampant counterfeiting, the Secret Service's true origin reveals a shocking irony: they weren't built to guard presidents—until three assassinations forced the question.
Ep 2:
Lincoln's Guards and the Long Road to Protection
Even as Lincoln's own guards clashed and snipers took aim, America resisted protecting its presidents—until Truman's Blair House gun battle finally forced permanent, professional protection into law.
Ep 3:
When the First Family Fought the Detail
Behind closed White House doors, the Clintons' personal battles and bypassed security protocols exposed how volatile relationships can quietly undermine a president's protection.
Ep 4:
Tennis Courts and Trust: Guarding the Human Heart
Beyond bullets and bodyguards, agents like Larry Newman reveal the emotional toll of protecting Jackie Kennedy—and how the Obama and Biden years redefined mutual respect on the detail.
Ep 5:
Cracks in the Shield: Scandal and Reinvention
From a assassin's unsettling friendship with her guard to cover-ups reaching the top, the Secret Service's hidden scandals expose an agency still evolving from counterfeiters to cyber threats.
Discussions (19)
Scott
Level 5 · 9 mo agoHillary throwing a lamp at Bill is peak 90s drama.
Barbara
Level 7 · 9 mo agoThey’re absolute garbage at protection though
Brent
Level 3 · 9 mo agoIt’s absolute bullshit that agents judged the Clintons’ character while the Secret Service covers up its own domestic abuse and DUIs. What a disgrace.
