Secret Service insiders warn agency at 'breaking point' due to internal dysfunction

In the wake of two separate attempts on a former president's life, the U.S. Secret Service finds itself at a difficult crossroads.

Confronted by what most would describe as historic failures, Secret Service insiders have given up trying to paper over persistent internal turmoil, with some suggesting that the current state of affairs is unsustainable if a catastrophic event is to be prevented in the future, as NBC News reports.

“State of crisis” claimed

The stunning security failures that led to attempts on Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania and again in West Palm Beach, Florida, prompted a closer look at the internal functioning of the agency charged with protecting presidents -- past and present -- and those closest to them.

Now, a group of current and former agents have stepped forward to tell NBC News of the difficulties plaguing the organization, ranging from growing workloads to insufficient staffing.

According to these sources, there are fears among many inside the agency that low morale, lax protocol enforcement, and other institutional struggles are setting the stage for another high-profile failure.

One former Secret Service agent described the dire situation by saying, “The U.S. Secret Service is killing their people, and worse, they are supposed to have a zero-fail protective mission on zero rest/sleep. I love my agency, by they are setting themselves up for another incident.”

The situation facing agents is reportedly so serious that one individual associated with law enforcement declared that the Secret Service is now “stretched virtually to the breaking point,” with another former agent suggesting that “rock bottom” is coming quickly due to “systemic” problems.

Renewed spotlight on Butler

Referencing the security collapse at July's Trump rally in Pennsylvania, one former agency official said that the shooting spree that left one man dead, two severely injured, and the former president himself with a bullet wound took place because agents are tasked with performing at a level that is unequal to the training they have received.

“The Secret Service is upside down on that, maybe operational 99% and 1% training. And you do that because you don't have enough people,” the insider declared.

Despite the stresses and strains described by sources with inside knowledge of agency operations, the Secret Service redoubled its protective efforts on Saturday when Trump returned to Butler to hold another, much larger rally event, as CBS News reported.

Agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stated ahead of the event, “Since the attempted assassination of former President Trump on July 13, the U.S. Secret Service has made comprehensive changes and enhancements to our communications capabilities, resourcing and protective operations.”

He noted that Trump was set to receive “heightened protection” and added that the agency takes “the responsibility to ensure his safety and security very seriously,” and though the Saturday event went off without a hitch, serious concerns remain as the campaign season enters its final months and resources continue to be stretched perilously thin.