Zero Fail
The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service
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4.2 • 402 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “This is one of those books that will go down as the seminal work—the determinative work—in this field. . . . Terrifying.”—Rachel Maddow
The first definitive account of the rise and fall of the Secret Service, from the Kennedy assassination to the alarming mismanagement of the Obama and Trump years, right up to the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6—by the Pulitzer Prize winner and #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of A Very Stable Genius and I Alone Can Fix It
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST
Carol Leonnig has been reporting on the Secret Service for The Washington Post for most of the last decade, bringing to light the secrets, scandals, and shortcomings that plague the agency today—from a toxic work culture to dangerously outdated equipment to the deep resentment within the ranks at key agency leaders, who put protecting the agency’s once-hallowed image before fixing its flaws. But the Secret Service wasn’t always so troubled.
The Secret Service was born in 1865, in the wake of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, but its story begins in earnest in 1963, with the death of John F. Kennedy. Shocked into reform by its failure to protect the president on that fateful day in Dallas, this once-sleepy agency was radically transformed into an elite, highly trained unit that would redeem itself several times, most famously in 1981 by thwarting an assassination attempt against Ronald Reagan. But this reputation for courage and excellence would not last forever. By Barack Obama’s presidency, the once-proud Secret Service was running on fumes and beset by mistakes and alarming lapses in judgment: break-ins at the White House, an armed gunman firing into the windows of the residence while confused agents stood by, and a massive prostitution scandal among agents in Cartagena, to name just a few. With Donald Trump’s arrival, a series of promised reforms were cast aside, as a president disdainful of public service instead abused the Secret Service to rack up political and personal gains.
To explore these problems in the ranks, Leonnig interviewed dozens of current and former agents, government officials, and whistleblowers who put their jobs on the line to speak out about a hobbled agency that’s in desperate need of reform. “I will be forever grateful to them for risking their careers,” she writes, “not because they wanted to share tantalizing gossip about presidents and their families, but because they know that the Service is broken and needs fixing. By telling their story, they hope to revive the Service they love.”
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In her explosive exposé, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Carol Leonnig shows us how one of the most important government agencies in the U.S. has fallen from grace in a dangerous way. Zero Fail uncovers the serious institutional problems plaguing the organization dedicated to protecting the president—and they run deep. Leonnig walks us through the political machinations by both parties that have steadily eroded the agency’s funding and training over the decades, peppering her history lessons with salacious stories about past administrations from Kennedy to Trump. Tales of rule bending and hard partying are just an appetizer; the entrée is the resounding evidence that the Secret Service has atrophied to the point that its ability to cope with real threats may be in serious question. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the dark suits and cool sunglasses, don’t pass up this eye-opening read.
Customer Reviews
A Very Dysfunctional Organization
I’m sure there are very many outstanding and professional men and women agents in the USSS. But as long as the good old boy network of stubborn and disruptive personnel continue to resist change and new ideas from someone not in “the club” another disaster is certainly just around the corner.
Nothing new
Same ol’ same ol’
An incredible read.
This book is absolutely engrossing and an incredible page turner. It should be required reading for anyone studying for an MPA or attending federal mid-level and senior leadership training courses. It depicts in great detail failures in leadership among the services top brass and instances when directors of the USSS demonstrated astounding deficits in moral courage. Finally, the book provided loads of material outlining the consequences of an agency failing to evolve and not embracing any sort of strategic vision. The many special agents and uniformed division officers who proudly serve and are willing to step into the line of fire deserve no less than senior leadership that is principled, and who not only manage crisis situations but also plan for the future and demand the resources needed for their very critical mission.