US Secret Service Agent Recalled, Placed Under Investigation After Altercation in Bulgaria

The incident was said to have taken place on May 10 while the Secret Service agent was off the clock. Details of what exactly happened with hotel staff have not been made available.

A US Secret Service officer was recently recalled from Bulgaria following an off-duty altercation with hotel staff, a spokesperson from the agency has detailed.

The offending incident occurred as preparations were underway for former US President Bill Clinton's visit to Bulgaria for the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).

The Secret Service officer, who was assigned to provide support for protective functions during the overseas trip to Sofia, was withdrawn from the mission along with another employee who witnessed the altercation. Both individuals were removed from the scene before the arrival of the protectee.

All employees implicated in the incident have been placed on administrative leave, and their access to Secret Service sites, facilities, and computer systems has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Secret Service's Office of Professional Responsibility has initiated an internal investigation to examine the incident further. The agency emphasized its adherence to stringent codes of conduct governing employee behavior, and stated that if the probe reveals any policy violations or misconduct, appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken against the individuals involved.

This development comes shortly after the Secret Service made headlines for an unrelated security breach at the Washington, DC, home of US national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

An unidentified individual appearing to be intoxicated managed to enter Sullivan's residence earlier this month. It was subsequently determined the intruder was not familiar with Sullivan nor intended to hurt the official, who was not home at the time.