A Secret Service agent assigned to help protect Vice President JD Vance has been placed on leave after blabbing about sensitive details of his job to a woman who was secretly recording him for James O’Keefe’s media company.
In a statement, the Secret Service said the agent — identified by O’Keefe Tuesday as Tomas Escotto — had his security clearance suspended and access to agency facilities and systems revoked pending an internal investigation.
“The US Secret Service has no tolerance for any behavior that could potentially compromise the safety, privacy or trust of our protectees,” Deputy Director Matthew Quinn told The Post, adding: “The US Secret Service has also issued an order for all personnel to retake the agency’s required anti-espionage training in order to ensure employees are aware of the threats posed by individuals aiming to exploit agency employees for information about our protective operations.
“The US Secret Service has a 160-year-old tradition of discretion that sets this agency apart, and we have no tolerance for employees who fail to meet this standard. The US Secret Service deeply apologizes to the Vance family for this violation of their trust and privacy. The faith our protectees place in this agency is not something the US Secret Service takes lightly, and we are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that a similar breach of standards does not occur again,” Quinn concluded.
In a 14-minute video posted on X by O’Keefe, Escotto disclosed details of how Vance and his family are shielded from danger, “including protective formations, shift schedules, travel plans, & real-time locations,” according to the Project Veritas founder.
“In addition to past movements, the agent revealed future travel plans, sometimes days in advance,” O’Keefe added. “Escotto even sent images from Air Force Two while onboard with the Vice President.”
“Despite acknowledging that he signed paperwork prohibiting the disclosure of sensitive information,” he went on, “the Secret Service agent repeatedly shared details with someone he believed was a casual romantic interest.”
The Post has not independently verified the full contents of the video, in which Escotto said he voted for Joe Biden and told the woman recording him that “I don’t like” the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“I don’t understand why they’re covering their face,” he says at one point of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the field. “I don’t agree with that at all … They’re deploying tactics that shouldn’t be deployed.”
The video also included a text message purportedly sent by Escotto to the woman on Dec. 26, in which he told her that Vance would be in Ohio “for like 4-5 days” before traveling on to Florida “next weekend.”
Early on Jan. 5, 26-year-old William DeFoor was arrested after authorities said he smashed windows at the VP’s Cincinnati residence with a hammer, hours after the second family departed for Washington.
The White House referred requests for comment to the vice president’s office when contacted by The Post early Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Vance referred questions to the Secret Service statement.
