Following Tuesday’s resignation by Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas named Ronald J. Rowe, Jr. as the agency’s Acting Director.
Rowe was Cheatle’s Deputy Director and had “direct oversight” of the agency’s protective services when a would-be assassin succeeded in shooting former President Donald Trump at a July 13 campaign rally. One person was killed and two others wounded by the sniper.
Acting Director Rowe was appointed Deputy Director by Cheatle on April 18, 2023. “Ron and I worked side by side for years,” Cheatle said at the time, adding that “I have come to trust and rely upon his decision-making abilities and good counsel.”
Rowe previously worked as the agency’s Chief of Staff for Director James M. Murray and as the Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Protective Operations, where he and Director Cheatle worked together to oversee all protective operations for the president and vice president.
“I look forward to all we will accomplish,” Rowe said upon his appointment, touting the success he and Chealte had had in their previous “no-fail protective mission.”
“Director Cheatle and I have worked in collaboration to achieve our no-fail protective mission. Together, we managed critical incidents and National Special Security Events, planned complex protective operations and oversaw research to develop and deploy technologies that reduce risks to our protectees, protected facilities and protected events.
“I am eager to join forces again and support her vision for the Secret Service. I look forward to all we will accomplish.”
Rowe was selected for assignment to the Presidential Protective Detail in 2004, during the term of former President George W. Bush. He protected Pope Benedict XVI during the pontiff’s 2008 visit to Washington, D.C.
From 2018-21, Rowe served as the Secret Service Deputy Assistant Director for the Office of Protective Operations.
