A Secret Service agent suspected of disclosing details about unofficial merchandise created by Vice President J.D. Vance's protective detail to mock him is now facing an administrative investigation and a potential criminal inquiry, according to reports.

A member of the Vice Presidential Protective Division is under scrutiny for allegedly sharing information about special coins, stickers, and badges produced within the detail that satirized the Vice President, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Daily Beast also reported on the investigation.

MS NOW, the outlet that first reported that members of Vance's security detail were "fed up" with his demands, noted that the parody merchandise bore slogans such as "Bobcat OTR Survivors Club" and "Advance. OTR. Repeat." "OTR" is a common abbreviation for "off the record" in Secret Service parlance, referring to movements that are not publicly disclosed in advance. "Bobcat" is Vance's Secret Service codename, CNN confirmed.

The individual believed to be responsible for leaking these details to the press has been placed on administrative leave, and Vance's entire security detail will undergo an internal review, sources told CNN.

Anthony Guglielmi, U.S. Secret Service Chief of Communications, issued a statement confirming the investigation.

"A member of the Vice Presidential Protective Division is the subject of an administrative investigation, and potential criminal inquiry, involving allegations of compromising operational and information security," Guglielmi said.

"While we will not comment on the specifics of this matter, one principle is unequivocal: any conduct that potentially threatens the safety of a protectee will not be tolerated," he added.

The investigation follows MS NOW's earlier reporting that Vance's security detail had grown frustrated with what were described as hastily arranged personal and family travel requests. The existence of the mocking merchandise shed further light on internal tensions within the protective division assigned to safeguard the Vice President.

The case comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the Secret Service, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has faced intense public and congressional oversight in recent years, most notably following the July 2024 assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, which prompted leadership changes and a broad review of protective protocols. Leaks involving protectee movements and internal detail culture are treated as particularly serious because they can expose operational patterns and undermine team cohesion.

Sources: MS NOW, CNN, The Daily Beast