# Secret Service vs the President: What if the president wants to do something the Secret Service opposes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 12, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492 "2021-08-12T05:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/61 "2022-07-28T06:28:46Z")
I think something relevant here is that the White House Counsel seems to have been telling everyone that they would be committing crimes by helping Trump go to the Capitol (“we’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable if we make that movement happen”). If that was correct, they weren’t _allowed_ to drive Trump there. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/62 "2022-07-28T06:37:20Z")
Maybe at some point the agents would separate along party lines and have to shoot it out. But I may be swayed by my like of Tarantino movies. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/63 "2022-07-28T14:54:23Z")
While they are sworn to protect the President’s life, they do not carry out policy or political actions. If a president wanted to stop and run into a burning building or attempt to catch a suicide jumper, they would stop him. Essentially protect the office of the president. There is no requirement to get him/her to a political address or action in the face of danger. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/64 "2022-07-28T16:08:20Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > …they do not carry out policy or political actions. They don’t? > **[Secret Service watchdog knew in February that texts had been purged](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/20/secret-service-national-archives/)** > > The latest on erased Secret Service text messages relevant to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/65 "2022-07-28T16:31:44Z")
Supposed to. Perfect world. Android agents. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/66 "2022-07-28T16:38:45Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Supposed to. Perfect world. **Android agents.** - Apple is _pissed._ ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/67 "2022-07-28T23:29:27Z")
Nicely done. That’s a good one. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492/68 "2022-08-07T14:02:26Z")
> [@mmmiiikkkeee](#): > > So does the testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson shed any more light on this? I believe the issue is ‘did the SS engage physically with the POTUS’. Not just in the sense of carrying him out of danger, but restraining him to countermand a direct order. The Pres said go to the Capitol and SS advised ‘no’. The President made it clear that he intended to go to the Capitol. It was not a casual request. The Pres reached for the steering wheel and the SS grabbed his shoulder/arm restraining him as they drove away. The SS physically interfered to prevent the President of the US carrying out an act of political policy. Their job was to protect him during the act, not make a judgement to prevent it. It is understandable that the SS does not want this debated in public. I wouldn’t want their job at any price. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-vs-the-president-what-if-the-president-wants-to-do-something-the-secret-service-opposes/948492.md?page=3)