Show Notes
Most people watched the Butler assassination attempt and focused on the shooting. Former ATF Task Force Leader Eric Immesberger and former U.S. Secret Service Counter Assault Team (CAT) Leader John Constantine focus on everything that happened before the first shot. Why do elite protection teams rehearse relentlessly? What separates great leaders from average ones? How do communication failures create catastrophic outcomes? And what lessons can every leader learn from one of the most scrutinized security failures in modern history? In this episode of The Debrief, Eric and John discuss: What it takes to lead elite federal teams Building loyalty instead of fear The culture inside high-performing units Leadership mistakes that destroy organizations The Butler assassination attempt from an operational perspective Why communication—not courage—often determines success Lessons from decades protecting presidents and pursuing violent criminals Whether you’re in law enforcement, the military, business, or simply interested in how elite organizations operate under pressure, this conversation offers a rare inside look at leadership when failure isn’t an option. Subscribe for more conversations with the people who’ve spent their careers operating where the stakes are highest.
More from The Debrief with Eric Immesberger
He ran a Secret Service counter assault team for 15 years. He ran two United Nations General Assemblies. And this episode, he's answering your questions. Retired Secret Service agent John Constantine — instructor, CAT team leader, and author of Hallways and Stairways — is back on The Debrief for a wide-ranging conversation that goes from leadership philosophy to the actual mechanics of protecting a head of state. Eric and John cover the “mission, the men, then you” framework that shaped how John led his team, how he tested a young leader’s integrity before ever mentioning leadership, and why real leadership is felt, not seen. From there they get into how protective intelligence actually works — how a threat gets assessed, verified, and acted on — the chaos and credentialing headaches of running security for the UN General Assembly, and why presidential campaign years are some of the hardest on Secret Service families. Plus: the story behind the Tudor CAT team watch, and a few protectee stories that have to be heard to be believed. In this episode: