Inside the Secret Service: what it takes to protect the president — and understand threats

What does it actually take to protect the President of the United States?In this episode of Byline with Ben Dennis, I sit down with Jeff James — a former Secret Service agent who spent more than two decades on protective detail — to discuss what it actually takes to protect the President of the United States.From the day-to-day volume of threats, to protecting foreign leaders, to how intelligence informs national security decisions, Jeff shares insight into a role that is often misunderstood.We also discuss how the U.S. tracks emerging threats — including weapons of mass destruction — and how decisions are made when information is incomplete or evolving.Key topics:-Life on a presidential protective detail-Common misconceptions about the Secret Service-How threats are identified and assessed-Protecting visiting world leaders-Intelligence and decision-making under pressure-Challenges in preventing large-scale threats🎧 Listen to the full episode and follow for more conversations that go beyond the headlines.⚡️ Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@broadcastben📸 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broadcastben/?hl=en🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/broadcastben_