Secret Service Agent in Iconic Trump Assassination Attempt Photo Speaks Out: 'From That Day to Now - I Haven't Stopped'

The U.S. Secret Service agent credited with shielding President Donald Trump from gunfire during an attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania last year recently opened up about that harrowing day and his service to the president.
In an interview published Wednesday by CBS News, Sean Curran reflected on his commitment to protecting Trump, the challenges tied to security, and the unforgettable events of July 13.
“Part of me probably still hasn’t processed it. I haven’t — from that day to now — I haven’t stopped,” Curran told CBS.
🚨 #BREAKING: President Trump will be naming Sean Curran, who heads his personal detail, to be Secret Service Director.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 17, 2025
Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HWdIxuidYI
He recalled how strongly he felt about staying close to the president at all times. “I felt like I couldn’t let him out of my sight. Not to the point where I’d be overworked, but to a point where I felt like I needed to be with him to ensure that things were done the way I needed them to be done. I didn’t want to leave his side. I think he probably didn’t want me to leave his side, either,” he explained.
Following the incident, Trump went on to name Curran the director of the Secret Service.
In the now-famous image showing Trump raising his fist while blood ran down his face, Curran can be seen directly to Trump’s left. His serious expression and focus are evident as he stares into the camera, the American flag waving proudly in the background.
The man now leading the US Secret Service, Sean Curran, know to my family as “The Beast” for the way that he watched over President Trump!!
— CrystalHodges77 (@Crystalhodges78) February 26, 2025
Congratulations Mr. Director!! @usss pic.twitter.com/nVGY0raMFy
Curran had already spent the last seven years working closely with Trump, including being present during the second assassination attempt on September 15. He also accompanied the president to his various court appearances throughout the 2024 campaign season.
The Secret Service had even anticipated the possibility of Trump being convicted and imprisoned, Curran revealed.
BREAKING NEWS: The Secret Service confirms that Trump is 'safe' after the former president was rushed off rally stage following reports of possible gunshots in Butler, Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/KtmOJ00vNb
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) July 13, 2024
Secret Service Director Sean Curran tells @seanhannity how his life has changed since the failed assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/88v3Rmp3Zt
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 27, 2025
“We had serious conversations about it, and I at one point told him, he and I might be — getting a lot closer,” Curran said.
“Look, if it came to it, I’d be sitting right next to him. That’s how much I care for him. That’s how much I felt that he deserved the level of protection that any of our protectees should get. There’s nothing I would have not done for him,” he said.
Curran originally joined the Secret Service in September 2001, according to official records from the agency.
His career path eventually led him to a position on former President Barack Obama’s protective detail, CBS News reported.
By the time Trump took office, Curran had advanced to deputy supervisor within the presidential protection team.
“He has always shown respect to not only me, but the division that protected him,” Curran noted.
“We have a bond, probably for life,” he added.