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Stern. Exacting. Infallible. The reputation of the U.S. Secret Service is all about perfection. But behind the scenes, the agency is far from perfect. Carol Leonnig goes behind the scenes on scandals and close calls that have come to define the agency.
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Before Post reporter Carol Leonnig started covering the Secret Service, she had the same impression most of us do about the men and women in suits standing next to the president. 
\u201cThey are super serious, they never crack a smile. They've got those impenetrable faces and impenetrable shiny glasses. Everything about them is spit, polish and perfect,\u201d says Leonnig.
But behind the scenes, the agency tasked with protecting the president is anything but perfect. 
\u201cAs an organization, you just started seeing morale break down,\u201d says Jonathan Wackrow, a former agent and security expert.
In her new book \u201cZero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service,\u201d Leonnig brings to light the secrets, scandals and shortcomings that plague the agency today--from a toxic work culture to dangerously outdated equipment. 
\u201cThey have witnessed countless security vulnerabilities and gaffes...which make them fear that the zero-fail mission is perpetually at risk,\u201d Leonnig says. \u201cAnd that is a danger for the lives of the president and his family.\u201d
Check out the book: \u201cZero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service,\u201d by Carol Leonnig.
Read an excerpt: \u201cHow Trump set back the Secret Service\u2019s recovery from scandal and strain.\u201d
Watch Leonnig\u2019s interview on Washington Post Live.
This story was produced by Martine Powers and Ariel Plotnick, and edited by Maggie Penman.