The U.S. Secret Service has opened a review after agents failed to detect a Glock handgun in a guest’s bag that was manually searched at President Donald Trump’s private golf club in Virginia while he was on site, according to media reports.
The incident occurred on Aug. 31 at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, about 25 miles northwest of the White House, when a club member notified the Secret Service that a firearm was in a bag that had been screened earlier. The member was described as cooperative, and agency officials say video surveillance shows the guest was never in close physical proximity to the president while at the club.
A Secret Service spokesperson told the New York Post that "the U.S. Secret Service takes the safety and security of our sites very seriously and there are redundant security layers built into every one." The review was launched after the initial report by RealClearPolitics and further coverage by national outlets.
An agent who conducted the manual search has been placed on administrative leave while the agency evaluates the circumstances of the screening failure, the New York Post reported, citing a senior official. That official also said handheld magnetometers were used for screening guests at the club on the day in question instead of walkthrough metal detectors.
The episode comes a little more than a year after an assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The Secret Service has faced heightened scrutiny of its protective measures since the attack, including questions about screening protocols at events and private venues frequented by the president.
Agency officials have underscored that multiple layers of protection are standard at sites where the president is present and noted that investigative and administrative steps are being taken in response to the screening lapse. The Secret Service has not provided additional operational details publicly beyond statements to media outlets.
The White House did not immediately comment on the investigation when contacted by reporters following media accounts. The review will examine how the firearm was missed, the screening equipment and procedures used that day, and whether policy or training changes are required to prevent a recurrence.
The Secret Service has a history of internal reviews after security lapses; outcomes can include changes to procedures, disciplinary action, or training updates. The agency did not provide a timeline for completing the current review or indicate when findings would be released.