Ronald L. Rowe, Jr.

Ronald L. Rowe Jr. (born November 11, 1971) is an American law enforcement officer who served as deputy director of the United States Secret Service from 2023 to 2025 and its acting director from mid 2024 to early 2025. Rowe was appointed to the position after former Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in 2024, amidst intense criticism of the Secret Service following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

Early life and education Rowe graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland in College Park. In 2007, he obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Administration from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. He completed the Executive Leaders Program in Homeland Defense and Security in 2019, at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Career In 1995, Rowe joined the West Palm Beach Police Department and worked there as a patrol officer for four years, rising to the rank of Sergeant.

In 1999, Rowe began working for the Secret Service. As a National Security and Law Enforcement Policy Advisor in 2011, he supported the National Security Council in formulating the President's counterstrategies against state-sponsored economic espionage and the theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets, from the United States. In addition, he was honored for his appointment to the Presidential Protective Detail, which he served in from 2004 to 2008 while stationed in New York City as part of the Secret Service's September 11 attacks response. He was later a staff member of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2008 to 2011. was criticized and deemed the agency's performance as "unacceptable," but she declined to step down. On July 17, Rowe gave a briefing to lawmakers regarding the progress of the investigation into the incident and the shortcomings of the Secret Service.

Acting director of the United States Secret Service On July 23, 2024, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, who oversees the Secret Service, named Rowe as the agency's interim head. After another suspected assassination attempt against Trump took place in Florida, Rowe praised a secret service agent for defending Trump, while acknowledging that the Secret Service failed to sweep the golf course where the attempt took place. Following the two assassination attempts against Trump, Rowe ordered a "paradigm shift" for the Secret Service's protective duties, stating that the agency needed to move from a "reactive model" to a "readiness model."

In December 2024, Rowe testified before Congress, taking responsibility for the agency’s failures and outlining corrective measures. He announced initiatives including enhanced technical assets, expanded staffing, improved retention efforts, and a new "chief wellness officer" to support mental health. Rowe refused to answer questions, emphasizing ongoing improvements and rejecting claims of politicizing his role.

Rowe has prioritized preparing the Secret Service for future challenges, including the 2028 United States presidential election, with plans to hire nearly 1,000 new special agents by 2025. His leadership also focused on cultural reform, leadership development, and collaboration with partners like DARPA to incorporate advanced technologies, such as autonomous security systems at high-profile sites.