Senior Federal Official Announces He Is Stepping Down

U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew C. Quinn announced Friday that he will be stepping down from the position on November 7 after 18 months in the role.

Quinn, the agency’s 24th deputy director, made the announcement in a post on X and in an internal letter to personnel. “Today I informed the men and women of the [Secret Service] that I will be transitioning out of my role as Deputy Director,” Quinn wrote in the X post. “Director Curran and I have been working on a thoughtful transition plan for months now. Proud of the men & women of the USSS and all your accomplishments!”

In the letter, which was obtained by NewsNation, Quinn stated that he had told Director Sean Curran the previous year that “one of my goals was to work myself out of this job as quickly as possible. No timeline, just the right time, and I believe that time is now. Part of that calculus is for personal reasons, but most of all it is knowing that the Secret Service is well-positioned for the future.” He described the 18 months as “the most rewarding of my career” and the decision as “not an easy decision.”

He added, “I initially retired from the Secret Service in 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Director in OPO. For me, returning to the Service was never intended to be a long-term second career, rather an opportunity to support Director Curran and the agency to make rapid, effective change across the organization.”

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🚨Just in: Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn has tendered his resignation pic.twitter.com/XpLgCUsEBW

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) October 16, 2026

Quinn went on to state that he believes promoting from within is a strength of the Secret Service, and added that he believes the agency is now in a place where it will never have to look outside the agency for a deputy director again. He also wrote that “the stakes have never been higher” and encouraged staff to “stay safe, look out for each other, and continue pushing the limits of what is possible,” noting he plans to remain available to the agency.

Quinn returned to the Secret Service in May 2025 at Curran’s personal request after retiring in 2021 following more than two decades of service, including as deputy assistant director for the Office of Protective Operations and special agent in charge of the Special Operations Division. Between retirement and his return, he served as senior vice president at Fortem Technologies, a company that develops counter-drone systems including the DroneHunter.

During his tenure, Quinn cited progress in leadership changes and staffing. The agency recorded a net gain of 929 law enforcement personnel in the current fiscal year, compared with 87 the prior year.

The announcement followed a 60 Minutes interview with Quinn and Curran that aired October 11. In that segment, Quinn addressed counter-drone capabilities and the threats posed by drones.

“Swarms are a huge problem and a big threat. I’d love to tell you the swarm problem is solved. It’s not. I will tell you that at the White House, White House is the safest place on Earth,” Quinn said in the interview.

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