No one can forget the iconic picture of Trump with a bloody ear holding up his fist and declaring fight, fight, fight.
It has become one of the enduring symbols of his election victory, and if you look to his right there is Sean Curran, the leader of his Secret Service personal detail.
Now Curran (shown right of Trump in shades) is poised to be promoted to Director of the Secret Service by the president. Curran replaces the current Acting Director of the U.S. Secret Service Ronald Rowe, who took over after the previous director decided to step down following the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
Ken Valentine served 24 years with the Secret Service, including 10 years with the Presidential Protection Detail, and is the author of the book Cheating Death.
He knows Curran well.
“He is a great Secret Service agent. Trump obviously thinks the world of Sean and is propelling him from his current position over a lot of people that he doesn't know or trust into the No. 1 leadership role there. "
So, Valentine says he defers to President Trump.
"He now knows him better than I do, and I suspect that Sean will be given every opportunity to do great things and to restore some of the focus to the Secret Service that has been the hallmark of their past, but they have not been leading with of late."
Experienced enough
Valentine rejects the argument that Curran hasn't had upper-level management positions.
“There is this bias in all of us that says, ‘well, you can't go from halfway down the leadership pole to leading up.’ I tend to disagree. I think he's done a great job with the roles that he's been given. I think a fresh breath is good."
