Donald Trump

Secret Service Director Clancy Stepping Down

President Trump will now be able to pick the person he wants to lead the agency

The Secret Service director is retiring, for a second time.

Director Joseph Clancy came out of retirement more than two years ago to take over the embattled agency amid a series of embarrassing scandals and security missteps.

Clancy was made the interim director in late 2014 and President Barack Obama made the job permanent in early 2015. The agency announced his retirement in a tweet Tuesday: "Congratulations Dir Clancy on your retirement! The men & women of the @SecretService are grateful for your 29 years of service & leadership."

His departure means that President Donald Trump will now pick the person he wants to lead the agency tasked with protecting him and his family among others.

Clancy, who will leave the Secret Service in March, was tapped to lead the agency after then-Director Julia Pierson was forced out after security breaches were made public in newspaper reports.

Though largely praised for his leadership, Clancy's tenure was not without its own scandals.

Twice he had to go to Capitol Hill to explain the misdeeds of agents. Perhaps the most embarrassing was the unauthorized review of Rep. Jason Chaffetz's decade-old job application with the agency.

Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, had led investigations into allegations of wrongdoings and scandals at the Secret Service.

"He took on the difficult task of returning to and taking over an agency plagued with mismanagement, misconduct, and security lapses. Under his leadership, the Secret Service has worked with this committee to implement detailed recommendations put forth in our bipartisan staff report," Chaffetz said in a statement, urging the president to pick an oustider to lead the agency for a "fresh set of eyes." 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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