WASHINGTON — The Secret Service director announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the month after a 27-year career with the agency charged with protecting the President of the United States.
Its CEO, James M. Murray, has accepted a position at social media company Snap, which is known for its messaging app Snapchat, a spokesperson for the agency said.
Mr. Murray was appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2019 after Mr. Trump became disillusioned with the agency’s then-director, Randolph D. Alles. The Secret Service director is appointed by the president and does not require confirmation from the Senate.
“Joining the Secret Service was the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” Murray wrote in a letter to staff at the agency on Thursday. “Deciding it’s time to move on, however, was one of the hardest.”
In April, Mr Murray told Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, whose sprawling division also includes the Secret Service, that he intended to retire and take a job outside of government, Mr Murray said. in the letter.
In a joint statement, President Biden and the First Lady, Jill Biden, expressed their appreciation for Mr Murray. “We are incredibly grateful for his service to our country and our family,” they said.
The Secret Service has come under the spotlight in recent days after more details emerged about Mr Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the routine process of certifying the US military. results of the presidential elections.
Mr. Trump’s protective detail was with him all day. In testimony last week before the House committee investigating the attack, a former White House aide said she was told that Mr. Trump tried to grab the wheel of the presidential vehicle and lunged at his lead Secret Service agent. after being told he couldn’t go. to the Capitol.
