What is *Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service* about?

*Zero Fail* by Carol Leonnig exposes the U.S. Secret Service’s institutional decline, chronicling toxic workplace culture, high-profile failures (like the Reagan assassination attempt and 2012 "Hookergate" scandal), and politicized leadership. Leonnig traces these issues from JFK’s era to Trump’s presidency, revealing how the agency prioritized reputation over security.

Who should read *Zero Fail*?

This book suits true crime enthusiasts, political history buffs, and readers interested in institutional accountability. It’s ideal for those seeking a critical analysis of federal agencies or behind-the-scenes insights into presidential security failures.

Is *Zero Fail* worth reading?

Yes. Pulitzer winner Carol Leonnig combines meticulous research with gripping storytelling, offering unprecedented access to Secret Service scandals and systemic dysfunction. Kirkus Reviews calls it a “damning portrait” essential for understanding modern security vulnerabilities.

What are the major scandals detailed in *Zero Fail*?

Key scandals include: - **Hookergate (2012):** Agents solicited sex workers in Colombia, some linked to cartels. - **Reagan’s near-fatal assassination attempt (1981):** Lapses in protective protocols. - **Trump-era politicization:** Agents openly supported Trump and ignored protocols.

How does *Zero Fail* critique Secret Service leadership?

Leonnig highlights poor accountability, outdated training, and leaders who prioritized presidential whims over safety. For example, Trump pressured agents to remove Melania’s detail head over footwear preferences, while post-9/11 underfunding strained teams.

What archival sources does Carol Leonnig use in *Zero Fail*?

Leonnig relies on internal documents, interviews with retired agents, and whistleblower accounts. She details unreported incidents, like armed intruders breaching White House grounds during Obama’s tenure.

How does *Zero Fail* address racial tensions within the Secret Service?

The book describes systemic racism, including a noose found in a Black instructor’s workspace. Leadership dismissed it as “one bad apple,” ignoring broader cultural issues.

What is the significance of the book’s title, *Zero Fail*?

The title refers to the Secret Service’s unofficial mandate to prevent *any* security lapse. Leonnig argues this impossible standard bred a culture of secrecy and blame-shifting.

Zero Fail

The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service

Carol Leonnig

4.23(9858 Reviews)

Overview of Zero Fail

Pulitzer winner Carol Leonnig exposes the Secret Service's alarming failures through interviews with 180 insiders across eight administrations. From JFK's assassination to agents with MAGA hats, this bestseller reveals how America's elite guardians endangered the presidents they swore to protect.

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Chapter 1

When Bullets and Betrayal Threaten Democracy

In 1981, eight-year-old Brad Gable watched in awe as Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy took a bullet for President Reagan during John Hinckley's assassination attempt. That moment inspired his lifelong dream to join the elite agency. Yet thirty years later, as a member of the Counter Assault Team, Gable's pride was shattered when a Delta Force sergeant major told him bluntly: "The Service has really let you down. You'll never be able to stop a real attack." This harsh assessment confirmed Gable's growing fears that the Secret Service was fulfilling its Zero Fail mission through luck rather than skill or preparation. Carol Leonnig's "Zero Fail" has become required reading for security professionals and political insiders alike, earning praise from Bob Woodward as "the first definitive account" of the Secret Service's troubled history. The book spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, with former presidents and intelligence officials acknowledging its unflinching examination of an agency in crisis. Through meticulous research and hundreds of interviews with agents, directors, and presidents, Leonnig reveals how an organization once revered as the pinnacle of dedication has deteriorated into what one insider called "a paper tiger" - weakened by leadership failures, budget constraints, and an institutional culture that prizes loyalty over competence.

Chapter 2

The Assassination That Transformed a Nation and an Agency

When President Kennedy's motorcade entered Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963, the Secret Service was woefully unprepared for what would follow. With just thirty-four agents assigned to the White House detail and no specialized training program, the agency resembled a modest city police force more than an elite protective unit. Most agents came from working-class backgrounds with military or police experience, learning protection techniques through on-the-job mentoring rather than formal instruction. Kennedy himself had contributed to his vulnerability. His frenetic travel schedule strained the Service's limited resources, forcing agents to work double shifts with minimal rest. More concerning was Kennedy's resistance to close protection, regularly instructing agents to keep their distance during public appearances. "He couldn't get elected dogcatcher if he didn't mingle with crowds," agents would recall him saying. Just days before Dallas, during a Tampa motorcade, Kennedy had ordered his "Ivy League charlatans" to drop back to the follow-up car, explaining: "It's excessive, Floyd. And it's giving the wrong impression to the people... We've got an election coming up." The night before the assassination, nine agents, including four scheduled for early morning duty, visited the Fort Worth Press Club for drinks after 1 a.m. When the club closed, some continued to the Cellar, a notorious nightspot where they stayed until as late as 5 a.m. Though Secret Service regulations prohibited drinking on duty while traveling with the president, this rule was routinely ignored. The detail was also notably less experienced than usual-eleven veterans were handling advance work elsewhere, ten experienced agents had recently rotated off, and detail leader Jerry Behn was on his first "vacation" in four years. When shots rang out in Dealey Plaza, only agent Clint Hill immediately recognized the attack, sprinting toward the presidential limousine as a third bullet exploded the right side of Kennedy's head. Mrs. Kennedy wailed as her husband slumped onto her lap, while Hill clung to the accelerating vehicle, pressing the First Lady back into her seat and shielding the couple with his body. Looking down at Kennedy's catastrophic head wound, Hill gave his teammates a thumbs-down sign. The unthinkable had happened-a president had been assassinated under their watch.

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Chapter 3

Rebuilding From Tragedy: The Service Transforms

Secret Service Chief James Rowley stood waiting at Andrews Air Force Base as Air Force One returned with Kennedy's body. Though sharing in the nation's grief, Rowley's mourning was magnified by professional failure-a president had died on his watch. Back at headquarters, Rowley gathered the shell-shocked agents, instructing them to immediately document their experiences while memories remained fresh. He assured them that the Service would survive and improve, providing the only comfort these men would receive in lieu of formal counseling. Rowley moved quickly to implement reforms before the Warren Commission finished its work, addressing two key weaknesses: insufficient manpower and inadequate building security. He nearly doubled the White House detail from twenty-eight to fifty agents, "borrowed" 670 FBI agents for motorcade security, and instituted mandatory checks of all buildings along presidential routes. Rowley also consulted with IBM to modernize their threat tracking system, which had previously relied on incomplete paper files of only 400 serious threats. Despite enduring endless abuse from President Johnson, who suspected agents remained loyal to Kennedy, Rowley earned agents' admiration through his handling of the Warren Commission investigation. When questioned about agents drinking the night before Kennedy's assassination, Rowley refused to punish them, explaining: "To institute formal punishment or disciplinary action would inevitably lead the public to conclude these men were responsible for the assassination of President Kennedy." The Warren Commission harshly criticized the Secret Service's "seriously deficient" protection methods, but this ultimately helped Rowley secure crucial funding. By fall 1965, the Service began hiring over 200 new agents, many inspired by the assassination. As former Kennedy detail agent Larry Newman observed with mixed emotions: "We got a new training center, we got new agents. Unfortunately, we had to lose a president for Congress to wake up and give us what we needed to protect him."

Chapter 4

The Reagan Era: Another Assassination Attempt Changes Everything

On March 29, 1981, President Reagan's casual decision to walk to church created immediate security concerns. The next day, during what seemed like a routine visit to the Washington Hilton, John W. Hinckley Jr. fired six shots in rapid succession as Reagan exited the hotel. Agent Tim McCarthy instinctively turned toward the gunfire and spread his body wide to shield the president, taking a bullet to his midsection. Jerry Parr instantly shoved Reagan into the limousine, landing on top of him on the car floor. At George Washington Hospital, doctors discovered Reagan had a bullet lodged in his lung, having lost nearly half his blood volume. The president had come closer to death than anyone wanted to publicly admit, but the agents' quick reflexes had saved him. Nancy Reagan demanded immediate action, telling aide Mike Deaver: "Give the Secret Service whatever they need. This will never happen again." The shooting transformed security protocols. Bobby DeProspero, a veteran agent known for his uncompromising approach to security, implemented mandatory metal detectors at all presidential events-a controversial measure that faced resistance until the Turkish gunman shot Pope John Paul II just two days after a heated debate on the issue. This pattern of learning from crises became the Secret Service's methodology-"born of blood," as one agent put it. After Kennedy's assassination, they eliminated open-top limousines; after Wallace's shooting, they improved rope line protocols; and after Reagan, they implemented magnetometers and "covered arrivals" where the president's limo would enter concealed loading docks. Nancy Reagan, traumatized by the assassination attempt, became a fierce advocate for enhanced security. Tormented by visions of another attempt, she turned to astrology to gauge risk, working with Joan Quigley to scrutinize omens on days with public outings. She would summon Deaver to suggest schedule changes based on astrological advice. "I was doing everything I could think of to protect my husband and keep him alive," she later wrote.

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Chapter 5

The Bush Years: Happiness Before the Storm

The Secret Service experienced some of its happiest days during George H.W. Bush's presidency. Despite his wealth and privilege, Bush forged genuine kinship with agents on far lower rungs. The Bushes treated their protective detail like extended family-not "the help." They drew agents closer into their unscripted lives than most First Families, including them in family sporting battles while Barbara often mothered them. The president thanked agents by name each night, invited their families to Kennebunkport barbecues, and even delayed his Christmas travel so agents could spend time with their own families. Yet even during this golden era, the Service failed to recognize emerging threats. In April 1989, despite security concerns, the White House insisted on staging a political victory in Hamtramck, Michigan-a cramped location with narrow streets and limited escape routes. Unknown to them, John Spencer Daughetee, a mentally ill Army veteran who'd been stalking Bush since his vice presidency, had traveled to Hamtramck with a .38 caliber handgun. Though he couldn't get past security, the Secret Service only discovered his plot months later when he was arrested for bank robbery and confessed to "almost killing President Bush in Detroit." More ominously, while the Service was enjoying its relationship with Bush, a new threat was emerging in the Middle East. Operation Desert Storm had showcased America's military might but stirred dangerous resentment. Osama bin Laden, millionaire son of a Saudi construction magnate, was outraged by American troops arriving on Saudi soil, calling it "the most shocking moment of my life." In February 1992, he declared war against U.S. forces abroad, calling America "the snake" that must be beheaded, and began planning attacks on American targets. Despite these evolving threats, the Secret Service still relied on outdated security protocols. While the military deployed high-tech weapons in the Gulf War, presidential protection remained relatively primitive, with magnetometers being their most advanced equipment. The Service's approach was "throw bodies at the problem" rather than strategic planning-a philosophy that would prove increasingly inadequate as threats grew more sophisticated.

Chapter 6

Clinton's Presidency: Private Indiscretions, Public Vulnerabilities

The Clintons' relationship with the Secret Service began with mutual distrust. The new First Family was wary of agents they perceived as loyal to Bush, noting the "RE-ELECT BUSH" bumper stickers on cars parked behind the White House. Hillary Clinton ordered agents removed from the second floor of the residence despite the security implications, wanting more privacy. Their suspicions were reinforced when friends warned that agents were leaking information about the First Couple's private moments to reporters. Clinton's detail agents quickly noticed security deviations in his morning routine. The president would jog to the downtown YMCA, supposedly for a workout, but no agents would accompany him inside-breaking the cardinal rule of always keeping the protectee within reach. When junior agents questioned this protocol breach, a senior agent finally revealed the truth: "There's a woman in there waiting for him. They're having sex." While agents never directly witnessed Clinton having sexual encounters, many observed patterns they considered unmistakable: disheveled young female staffers leaving his office after private meetings, and Clinton's requests for "off-the-record movements" to unknown addresses late at night. Most agents didn't judge Clinton harshly, as many had their own extramarital affairs during travels. Clinton's behavior created significant distractions for his administration. While his team managed "bimbo eruptions," they simultaneously faced emerging global threats like Islamic terrorism, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and bin Laden's growing operations. The Troopergate scandal erupted in December 1993 when Arkansas state troopers publicly detailed their role facilitating Clinton's affairs. This was followed by Paula Jones filing a sexual harassment lawsuit in May 1994, creating the unprecedented possibility of a sitting president facing deposition and trial. The Monica Lewinsky scandal ultimately forced the Secret Service into unprecedented legal territory. When Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr subpoenaed agents to testify about Clinton's private meetings with the former intern, Director Lewis Merletti fought vigorously against it, arguing that proximity saved presidents' lives and that presidents would push agents away if they feared their protectors might later testify about private moments. The courts rejected this novel "executive protection privilege," forcing agents to testify in a case that would lead to Clinton's impeachment.

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Chapter 7

/11 and the Bush Years: Terror Changes Everything

On September 11, 2001, the Secret Service faced its greatest crisis since Kennedy's assassination. As President Bush sat with schoolchildren in Sarasota, Florida, the agency's response revealed critical weaknesses in its crisis management systems. Despite learning of the attacks, the Service allowed the president to remain in a fixed, publicly broadcast location for thirty minutes. When an unidentified aircraft approached Washington, the White House evacuation was chaotic, with agents shouting "Get out now!" while staff fled in all directions. Vice President Cheney's evacuation to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center bunker exposed another shocking vulnerability-his detail agents lacked proper access to the facility. Despite official reports claiming Cheney reached safety by 9:37 a.m., he was actually still standing outside the bunker when American 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:38 a.m., waiting for someone to open the door. The attacks shattered America's sense of security and exposed critical weaknesses in the nation's crisis response capabilities. The Secret Service's defenses proved inadequate-their FAA Tigerwall system offered little help, and agents were shocked when instructed to defend against aircraft with rifles from the White House roof. In response, the Service immediately fortified White House perimeters and completely overhauled its emergency protocols, establishing that in future attacks, the president would be immediately evacuated to a secure location with no possibility of political staff overruling this decision. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security further transformed the Secret Service, moving it from Treasury-its home since 1865-to the new department. This transition coincided with damaging revelations about misconduct within the Service's highest ranks, including allegations that Director Brian Stafford and other senior leaders had affairs with White House staffers-violations of security protocols that made them vulnerable to blackmail.

Chapter 8

Obama's Presidency: The Wheels Come Off

Barack Obama's historic candidacy created unprecedented security challenges. Though Obama didn't technically qualify for early protection, his Senate office began receiving disturbing racist threats mentioning his family. By May 2007, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff authorized a full security detail-the earliest any candidate had ever received protection, at roughly $30,000 daily. As Obama's security detail raised his public profile, extremist groups took notice. The Secret Service faced both internal racism scandals and external threats against Obama. A noose was found at their training facility, and racist emails circulated among supervisors. Meanwhile, four separate assassination plots emerged before Obama even took office. After his election victory, threats skyrocketed to thirty per day-four times more than previous presidents received. Under Director Mark Sullivan's leadership, the Service made questionable personnel decisions that would haunt the agency. Sullivan promoted supervisors recently implicated in a pornography scandal, including George Luczko, who had shared explicit sexual material, to lead the Office of Professional Responsibility-ironically overseeing misconduct investigations. These promotions sent a clear message that loyalty and connections trumped integrity. The Service's operational failures reached a crisis point on November 11, 2011, when Oscar Ortega-Hernandez fired a semiautomatic rifle at the White House from Constitution Avenue. At least eight bullets traveled seven hundred yards across the South Lawn, with seven striking the Obama family's upstairs residence. One bullet smashed a second-floor window near the First Family's formal living room. Though President Obama and the First Lady were away, their daughter Sasha and Michelle's mother were inside. Despite mounting evidence of an assassination attempt, Secret Service leadership downplayed the incident and failed to inform the First Family promptly. Only when a housekeeper discovered bullet damage on the Truman Balcony did the truth emerge. Michelle Obama was furious upon learning from an usher rather than her security team, later confronting Sullivan in a heated meeting where she demanded answers about why her family's protection had been compromised.

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Chapter 9

The Cartagena Scandal: Partying Trumps Protection

In April 2012, the Secret Service faced its most embarrassing modern scandal when agents were caught drinking heavily and hiring prostitutes during a presidential trip to Colombia. Dave Chaney, a 21-year Secret Service veteran nearing retirement, had volunteered to supervise the "jump team" for President Obama's visit to Cartagena. Before the president's arrival, Chaney emailed his 54-person team with the motto "Una Mas Cerveza por favor," setting the tone for what many saw as deserved downtime. The night before Obama's arrival, agents engaged in heavy drinking and hired prostitutes to bring back to their hotel. When one woman, Dania Londono Suarez, wasn't paid her agreed-upon fee the next morning, she created a scene in the hotel hallway, shouting "He fucky fucky, he no pay!" Her decision to involve local police triggered diplomatic protocols requiring Colombian authorities to notify the U.S. embassy, quickly escalating into an international incident. Director Sullivan had weathered previous scandals with his "aw shucks" charm and political savvy, but the Cartagena prostitution scandal presented a potentially career-ending crisis. The combination of "Secret Service" and "hookers" dominated headlines, overshadowing Obama's Summit of the Americas. The agency hastily placed eleven men on leave for violating their "zero-tolerance policy on personal misconduct"-even though some still denied hiring prostitutes. While battling external criticism, Sullivan faced internal opposition from a faction within his management team who considered him a weak director. When questioned about the "Wheels up, rings off" culture described in the Washington Post, Sullivan insisted such behavior was "absurd" and never condoned. However, he concealed significant information, including a junior agent who had delayed Obama's Asia tour after getting drunk with suspected prostitutes, a presidential detail agent who arranged group sex hookups during work travel, and agents who admitted to similar misconduct in El Salvador, Panama, and other countries.

Chapter 10

The Final Straw: Intruders Breach the White House

Julia Pierson became the first female Secret Service director in March 2013, inheriting an agency in crisis. On her second day, Pierson met with White House budget master David Haun and bluntly declared "bankruptcy" on behalf of the agency, explaining they were critically understaffed with over 600 unfilled positions. The Service hadn't hired anyone since 2011, had 86 vacant supervisory positions, and 85 agents working well beyond their normal rotation periods. Despite securing emergency funding, Pierson faced a series of embarrassing incidents that further damaged the agency's reputation. In March 2014, counter-sniper officers protecting Obama in Florida spent hours at a sports bar consuming beers, tequila and Fireball shots, violating the "ten-hour rule" prohibiting drinking within ten hours of reporting for duty. Days after Pierson warned supervisors about this behavior, another incident occurred in the Netherlands during preparations for Obama's visit, when a 34-year-old agent was found passed out in a hotel hallway. The final blow came on September 19, 2014, when Omar Gonzalez, a troubled Iraq War veteran, scaled the White House fence and made it deep into the mansion before being tackled. Despite being noticed by several Secret Service officers before jumping the fence, he wasn't deemed a threat. Once inside, Gonzalez proceeded through the East Room toward the State Floor while outside, Emergency Response Team officers didn't enter because they assumed the Counter Assault Team would handle interior threats-but CAT members weren't monitoring their radios. When finally subdued, Gonzalez was found carrying a folding knife with a three-and-a-half-inch blade. At a subsequent congressional hearing, Pierson's testimony was undermined by a bombshell revelation: days before the fence-jumper incident, an armed private security guard with a criminal record had been allowed in an elevator with President Obama during his CDC visit in Atlanta-a breach Pierson had allegedly tried to conceal. This combination of failures led to her resignation after just nineteen months as director.

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Chapter 11

The Trump Years: Politics Corrupts Protection

Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign created unprecedented security challenges for the Secret Service. His rallies frequently erupted in violence, with Trump himself encouraging supporters to physically confront protesters. At a Louisville rally, a Black female protester was shoved and racially abused by Trump supporters after the candidate ordered "Get 'em the hell out of here." Trump's inflammatory rhetoric, combined with his campaign's inexperienced event planning and insistence on using his own security team, led agents to nickname him the "Chaos Candidate." Trump's presidency immediately strained the Secret Service's resources. His family's living arrangements-with Melania and Barron remaining in New York, frequent Mar-a-Lago weekends, and protection needed for eighteen family members including internationally-traveling adult children-required a $60 million budget increase. The Service was stretched protecting forty-one people, sometimes using agents' personal vehicles and rotating field agents for two-week protection stints. By August 2017, Director Alles was forced to plead with Congress to remove salary and overtime caps. Trump had taken golf trips on twenty-six of thirty weekends, while his family made roughly 650 out-of-town trips-twelve times Obama's rate. Rather than examining his own actions, Trump complained Alles "didn't seem smart" and mocked his appearance, saying "He looks like Dumbo the Elephant." As Trump's term progressed, the Service became increasingly politicized. After protesters approached the White House during the George Floyd demonstrations, Trump tweeted that his guards were eager to attack protesters with "the most vicious dogs"-comments that fractured the Service's apolitical facade. One agent complained: "We're not some brownshirt brigade here to do his bidding... We are here to protect democracy." The Service faced unprecedented challenges as Trump insisted on holding campaign rallies during the COVID-19 pandemic. His detail chief Tony Ornato, installed in a political White House position that effectively outranked Director Murray, prioritized Trump's wishes over agent safety. Nearly 300 agents and officers contracted the virus. After Biden's election victory, the Service delayed providing him full presidential-level protection while Trump disputed the results-a break from protocol that disturbed many agents who saw it as "picking a side." On January 6, 2021, Trump's inflammatory rhetoric incited his supporters to march on the Capitol, resulting in a violent breach that endangered Vice President Pence and his Secret Service detail. In the aftermath, some Service personnel defended the rioters on social media, calling them "patriots" and falsely claiming Antifa started the violence. Biden's transition team, concerned about Trump's corrosive influence on the agency, requested changes to his protection detail, forcing the Service to implement unprecedented security measures for Biden's inauguration.

Chapter 12

A Legacy of Sacrifice, A Future in Peril

Despite the dedication of individual agents-"patriots" who serve at great personal sacrifice-the Secret Service continues to suffer from systemic problems. Outdated technology, insufficient resources, and unclear mission parameters leave the Service dangerously stretched thin. The agency's promotion system resembles La Cosa Nostra so closely that agents refer to being "made" when they win their first major promotion. Rising agents learn to maintain loyalty to their "family tree" of early supporters, even if it means covering up misconduct. As one Trump administration official who studied the agency's vulnerabilities noted: "Someone in the near future needs to sit down and figure out: What is their mission? Because they can't do the mission they have now. We're letting them down and we're leaving the country at risk." The Secret Service faces a fundamental tension between symbolism and security in American democracy. Presidents from JFK to Clinton have prioritized public accessibility over protection, while the Service must balance creating a secure environment without projecting the image of an imperial guard. This tension defines the impossible expectations placed on an agency responsible for not just the president's life, but the stability of our democracy itself. The stories of these agents-from Clint Hill racing toward Kennedy's limousine to Jerry Parr shoving Reagan into the car-reveal both the extraordinary courage of individuals and the institutional failures that have repeatedly placed them in impossible situations. Their mission remains what Eisenhower called them: "soldiers out of uniform," the last line of defense for American democracy itself.

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Key Themes in Zero Fail

presidential protection
institutional failure
security protocol evolution
agency mismanagement
assassination attempts

Quotes from Zero Fail

The Service has really let you down. You'll never be able to stop a real attack.
The Service was fulfilling its Zero Fail mission through luck rather than skill.
It's excessive... And it's giving the wrong impression to the people.
The unthinkable had happened-a president had been assassinated under their watch.
This pattern of learning from crises became the Secret Service's methodology-born of blood.

Characters in Zero Fail

Carol LeonnigAuthor and investigative journalist
Brad GableSecret Service agent and Counter Assault member
James RowleySecret Service Chief who led post-1963 reforms
Clint HillAgent who shielded the Kennedys during the attack

About the Author

Carol Duhurst Leonnig, Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter and bestselling author of Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service, is a national authority on presidential security and political accountability. A staff writer at The Washington Post since 2000, Leonnig’s expertise in uncovering institutional failures stems from her groundbreaking reporting on the Secret Service, which earned her the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.

Her work, including co-authored New York Times bestsellers A Very Stable Genius and I Alone Can Fix It (with Philip Rucker), dissects modern presidential leadership and crises, blending meticulous research with insider accounts.

Zero Fail, a gripping exposé of the Secret Service’s cultural and operational decline, draws on over 180 interviews to explore themes of duty, secrecy, and the tension between security and democracy. Leonnig’s contributions to The Post’s Pulitzer-winning coverage of the January 6 insurrection and Russian election interference further cement her reputation.

A frequent NBC News and MSNBC analyst, her books have shaped public understanding of power dynamics in Washington. Zero Fail became an instant New York Times bestseller, praised for reshaping conversations about national security reform.

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"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

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@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

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Chapter 11

Zero Fail

OverviewOverview of Zero Fail

One book. Many ways to hear it.

When Bullets and Betrayal Threaten Democracy

The Assassination That Transformed a Nation and an Agency

See every word as you hear it

Rebuilding From Tragedy: The Service Transforms

The Reagan Era: Another Assassination Attempt Changes Everything

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The Bush Years: Happiness Before the Storm

Clinton's Presidency: Private Indiscretions, Public Vulnerabilities

See every word as you hear it

/11 and the Bush Years: Terror Changes Everything

Obama's Presidency: The Wheels Come Off

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The Cartagena Scandal: Partying Trumps Protection

The Final Straw: Intruders Breach the White House

See every word as you hear it

The Trump Years: Politics Corrupts Protection

A Legacy of Sacrifice, A Future in Peril

You made it to the end of Zero Fail

Key Themes in Zero Fail

Quotes from Zero Fail

Characters in Zero Fail

About the Author

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1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

When Bullets and Betrayal Threaten Democracy

The Assassination That Transformed a Nation and an Agency

See every word as you hear it

Rebuilding From Tragedy: The Service Transforms

The Reagan Era: Another Assassination Attempt Changes Everything

Get more out of Zero Fail

The Bush Years: Happiness Before the Storm

Clinton's Presidency: Private Indiscretions, Public Vulnerabilities

See every word as you hear it

/11 and the Bush Years: Terror Changes Everything

Obama's Presidency: The Wheels Come Off

Get more out of Zero Fail

The Cartagena Scandal: Partying Trumps Protection

The Final Straw: Intruders Breach the White House

See every word as you hear it

The Trump Years: Politics Corrupts Protection

A Legacy of Sacrifice, A Future in Peril

You made it to the end of Zero Fail

Users also liked

Discover more

Overview of Zero Fail