U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan is asking the federal government to support the department’s largest budget ever in light of a growing number of threats made against lawmakers.
Chief Sullivan went before Congress to request a $1.02 billion budget — an increase of about 20% — after he said lawmakers, their families and staff members had close to 15,000 threats directed toward them in the past year.
The chief said that’s a 58% increase in threats from 2024 — and he expects that number to rise in 2026.
“These are not just numbers, they’re threats against real people. We understand how disruptive and unsettling that can be,” Chief Sullivan told the House Appropriations Legislative Branch subcommittee on Tuesday. “The threat environment tends to grow.”
Police arrested a Georgia man who ran toward the Capitol last month with a loaded shotgun in hand.
Chief Sullivan said officers ordered suspect Carter Camacho, 18, to drop the gun and get on the ground. The suspect was wearing a tactical vest, and the weapon was unregistered.
Last summer, police arrested a man outside the Capitol after finding guns and a bow and arrow in his car.
And in January 2025, a man turned himself in to authorities after he admitted to bringing Molotov cocktails to the Capitol with the intent to kill Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Chief Sullivan said part of the rising costs in his budget request is associated with protecting lawmakers beyond the federal buildings where they work.
He said his department has mutual agreements across the country so law enforcement can be sent out for protection details when representatives and senators are in their home states.
Several lawmakers sounded sympathetic to the chief’s budget request during his testimony
“I doubt there’s a member on this dais that hasn’t had some type of threat since they’ve been in office,” said Rep. Riley Moore, West Virginia Republican.
But the chief stressed that retention has been an equally troubling problem for the force. He said U.S. Capitol Police get about 24 recruits each month, but many of them don’t make the grade to serve.
Chief Sullivan also said competition from other federal agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has made it harder to not only get quality candidates in the door, but to keep them on the job.
“Hiring is one thing. Being able to retain … is something we need to focus on,” the chief said.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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