Three agents from the US Secret Service were sent home from Amsterdam on Sunday after a drunken incident in a hotel, a day before President Barack Obama arrived in the Netherlands. The agency confirmed the agents were removed for disciplinary reasons, with one found intoxicated by hotel staff who reported it to the US embassy. The other two were implicated for failing to intervene.
The Washington Post first reported the story, which comes as the Secret Service seeks to repair its reputation following previous misconduct cases, including a prostitution scandal. An inspector general's report in December found no evidence of widespread misconduct, in line with the service's assertion of zero tolerance.
The three agents, all members of the counter-assault team responsible for defending the president under attack, were placed on administrative leave. One of them was a team leader. The service stated that the incident did not compromise President Obama's security. Obama departed the Netherlands on Tuesday for Brussels.
