Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service

· Sold by Random House
26 reviews
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About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first definitive account of the rise and fall of the Secret Service, from the Kennedy assassination to the alarming lapses of the Obama and Trump years—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Carol Leonnig
 
“This book is a wake-up call, and a valuable study of a critically important agency.”—The New York Times

A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
 
Carol Leonnig reported on the Secret Service for nearly a decade, bringing to light the secrets, scandals, and shortcomings that plague the agency today—from a toxic workplace culture to dangerously outdated equipment to the deep resentment within the ranks at key agency leaders, who put protecting the agency’s once-hallowed image before fixing its flaws.

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 by Barack Obama’s presidency, the once-proud Secret Service was running on fumes and beset by mismanagement and mistakes in judgement: 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 is in desperate need of reform.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first definitive account of the rise and fall of the Secret Service, from the Kennedy assassination to the alarming lapses of the Obama and Trump years—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Carol Leonnig “This book is a wake-up call, and a valuable study of a cr...

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Ratings and reviews

26 reviews
Kristin Kimberly
July 18, 2022
Love Ms. Leonnig's reporting, & her books are very informative as well as interesting. I also love to see her, when she comes on MSNBC, because she seems to always have some new bits of info, as well as being such a caring reporter of America, during these testy times. Thanks Carol, for all you do! Your research is also second-to-none. Blessings X
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Fabiana NOT drugs NOT sugar NOT lgbtq
September 14, 2026
URGENT PLEASE URGENT HELP ME URGENT PLEASE I still eat meat and am nourished by the Holy Spirit, who DEVOURS THE FLESH and convicts of righteousness, sin, and judgment Mangio ancora carne e mi nutro dello Spirito Santo, che DIVORA LA CARNE e convince di giustizia, di peccato e di giudizio Life inspires Game🎮 before the thefts, before the torture in the hospital, the ten years of the stolen cell phone, and all the crooked schemes of the auqadelas lgbtq drug-trafficking ringleader; the Polices 🚔 were already hunting Pokémon back then, and they still are No intelligent person wants to use drugs, so they mix drugs with sugar to lure children No drugs, no addictions; respecting the law is the most important religion in the universe Socialism, communism, and injustices for example lgbtq+ mutilation psychopatism issues are criminal pandemics that kill people rampantly across the globe 🧊🪖 ICE 🧊🪖 DHS 🧊🪖 CBP 🧊🪖 ERO Assistenza sanitaria senza furti Healthcare without theft for body RESPECT FOR THE LAW THE MOST IMPORTANT REGION OF THE UNIVERSE RISPETTO PER LA LEGGE LA REGIONE PIÙ IMPORTANTE DELL'UNIVERSO Todos e serpenti infidi che mi hanno derubato in questi dieci anni di ingiustizia raccoglieranno gli stessi frutti e faranno la stessa fine di quel auqadelas 🐍 judas All the treacherous snakes who have robbed me during these ten years of injustice will reap the same harvest and meet the same end as that judas🐍 auqadelas
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behrouz yaghmaeian
September 7, 2026
مادر هرچی ایرانیه سگ گایید تنظیمات گوشی منو عوض نکن بیناموس فیس بوک و اینستاگرام من کو من اجازه ندادم به‌گوگل به اس ام اس و کالم دسترسی داشته باشه خونه زندگی من کو کس مادرا من دارو نمیخوام‌خونه میخوام پول میخوام کارای کیریتون با صاحب کارای کیریتون و نمیخوام مادر سگ اگه آدم دوست و خونواده و وطن داشته باشه تو خیابون نمیخوابه بهش دارو بدن بیناموس تو خیابون دوای کیر و خایه بهش نمیدن موقع رانندگی بهش دارو نمیدن آدم دوست و خونواده دار یه شب بیرون میخوابه نه یه سال یه کار عوض میکنه نه صدتا
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About the author

Carol Leonnig is a national investigative reporter at The Washington Post, where she has worked since 2000. A three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller A Very Stable Genius, Leonnig is also an on-air contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.
Carol Leonnig is a national investigative reporter at The Washington Post, where she has worked since 2000. A three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller A Very Stable Genius, Leonnig is also an on-air contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. She lives in Washingt...

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