Director urges Congress to pay Secret Service personnel after reported missed pay

During the interview about the attempted assassination, the Director shifted to funding concerns and urged congressional action to pay Secret Service personnel who, he said, had gone unpaid for 70 days. "How about we pay these brave men and women of the Secret Service that have gone 70 days without pay, but are still putting their lives on the line day in and day out to protect the American people," the Director said.

He framed the request as nonpartisan: "It's not about politics. We should be paying the men and women in law enforcement." The Director said President Trump has "resourced law enforcement to the maximum ability of the law" and expressed confidence in Secretary Mullen and Secret Service leadership, calling them "tremendous partners."

The interviewer noted that responsibility for the Secret Service falls under the Department of Homeland Security and that funding is a separate issue from operational jurisdiction. The Director acknowledged that funding is a different issue and urged Congress to provide pay while praising interagency cooperation during the response.

No formal funding action or timeline was described during the interview. The Director's remarks linked morale and operational readiness to pay and called on lawmakers to provide resources for those protecting high-profile events.