The Secret Service is one of our oldest federal law enforcement agencies. When it was established in 1865, it didn’t have anything to do with protecting the President. Instead, they were tasked with combatting counterfeit U.S. currency, which was rampant in the years after the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln actually signed the legislation to create the agency on the same day he was shot at Ford’s Theater. It was formally established later that year as the “Secret Service Division” of the Department of Treasury, which it was a part of until 2003. Today the agency is under the Department of Homeland Security.
It wasn’t until the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901 that the Secret Service was given the duty of presidential protection. They are with the president constantly, even at doctor’s appointments and in the bathroom! When traveling, they carry bags of the president’s blood in case a transfusion is needed. They also keep a careful watch over every bite of food that is prepared for the president.
But presidential protection isn’t their only job. The Secret Service also protects the payment and financial systems of the U.S. from a wide range of financial and electronic-based crimes, including cybercrime, bank fraud, illicit financing operations, and identity theft. It’s also a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and a partner of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Secret Service codenames go back to at least the Truman administration when the protective detail was established. President Truman’s code name was “Supervise” and his wife Bess’ was “Sunnyside”. Traditionally all family members’ code names start with the same letter. The Secret Service doesn’t decide on the names. The White House Communications has a list of names for the president to choose from, often choosing ones that resonate with them personally. Codenames are also given to high-profile political candidates and visiting dignitaries. If you want to see a full list of codenames, click here (check out the McCain’s!).
Learn more about the Secret Service here.