The U.S. Secret Service has launched an internal investigation after an agent attempted to include their spouse on a support flight bound for Scotland during former President Donald Trump’s recent international trip, the agency confirmed.
The incident involved an agent who sought to bring their spouse, a member of the U.S. Air Force, aboard a mission-support aircraft being used by the Secret Service to transport personnel and equipment for the presidential visit. The flight, operated by the U.S. Air Force, was scheduled to accompany the president’s trip to Trump’s golf resorts in Scotland.
According to a Secret Service statement provided to USA TODAY, the agent was informed prior to departure that the spouse would not be permitted on the flight. The individual was subsequently barred from boarding, and the agency noted that the situation did not interfere with operational security or protective duties.
The matter remains under investigation, and the agency declined to release further details at this time.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on July 29 at the conclusion of his five-day “working visit,” responded to questions from reporters about the incident. “I don’t know, that’s a strange one,” Trump said, adding he had just learned of it moments before. He confirmed that Secret Service Director Sean Curran is reviewing the situation.
The incident occurred during Trump’s extended stay in Scotland, which began on July 25 and included hosting meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his luxury golf properties. The visit combined diplomatic engagements with the unveiling of a new Trump golf course.
While the trip was officially labeled as a diplomatic mission by the White House, it drew attention for its combination of trade discussions and personal business promotion, now further overshadowed by the unfolding inquiry into the Secret Service flight incident.
