When you work in the security and protection industry, your job is not to make political statements. Your job is to protect people, manage risk, solve problems, and remain professional under pressure. That is it. In my view, this industry should be apolitical by its very nature. In many ways, it should be approached similarly to the military; you may have your own personal beliefs, values, and opinions, but when you are operating in a professional capacity, those things should not be what define you.
Everyone Is Paying Attention
The reality is actually quite simple. Clients are paying attention. Vendors are paying attention. Partners are paying attention. Employees are paying attention. Every time a business owner or security professional decides to publicly inject strong political opinions into their brand, they are making a decision whether they realize it or not. They are telling half of the people watching that they are either not welcome, not understood, or not worth the same level of trust and professionalism. That is a foolish and unnecessary business decision, especially in an industry that is supposed to be rooted in discretion, judgment, and service.
In security and EP, particularly, we are entrusted with people’s safety. That trust is not supposed to be conditional.
It is also not supposed to depend on who someone voted for, what political flag they wave, what cable channel they watch, or what narrative they subscribe to this month. Everyone deserves the inherent right to safety and security. Everyone deserves professional, diligent, and capable protective services so long as they are not engaged in criminal conduct or acting as some kind of villain. Beyond that, their personal views are not my business. Frankly, I do not care one bit!
Over the years, I’ve personally provided protection for world leaders, celebrities, corporate executives, and high-net-worth individuals from all walks of life and across the political spectrum. Some I may have agreed with on certain issues. Others, I most certainly did not. It made no difference to me because that was never the point. I was not there to debate them. I was not there to judge them. I was there to do a job, do it well, and ensure their safety and ability to operate unimpeded. That is what professionals do.
Somewhere along the line, too many people forgot that. We now live in a culture where everyone believes they need to use their platform to say something political, as if silence is weakness and commentary is courage. I do not buy that at all.
In this profession, constant political commentary is not leadership.
It is often ego masquerading as principle and virtue signaling. It is noise, plain and simple. It rarely, if ever, adds anything of value and only serves to alienate people who may otherwise respect your work, hire your company, partner with your firm, or join your team.
That is the part people should really think about. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Are you a political commentator or are you a protection professional? Does your opinion on every national issue actually matter to anyone other than yourself? Are you changing policy, changing minds, or changing the world, or are you just broadcasting your personal preferences into an already overcrowded space? These are fair questions, and I think many people in this industry would benefit from asking them honestly.
Political leaders come and go. Administrations change. One year, the right is in power. The next year, the left is in power. The cycle repeats itself over and over. In the grand scheme of a serious security business, it simply does not matter as much as some people seem to think it does. What does matter is whether your clients trust you. What does matter is whether your employees believe the company is stable, disciplined, and focused. Also important is whether your partners see you as credible and mature enough to operate in sensitive environments without making everything about your personal ideology.
Apolitical professionalism is not about having no beliefs. It is about exercising discipline. It is about knowing when your personal opinions are irrelevant to the mission. It is about understanding that a professional reputation takes years to build and only moments to damage. The security industry depends heavily on trust, discretion, and perception. If you are reckless with your public image, people will question whether you are equally reckless in more important areas. That is not always fair, but it is real and should be considered.
This becomes even more important for those in the industry who consider themselves thought leaders. That term gets thrown around far too easily in my opinion, but that’s a topic for another day!
True leadership is demonstrated through competence, composure, sound judgment, and the ability to serve a broad range of people without bias.
It is not measured by how loudly someone broadcasts political opinions online. If your public presence is dominated by political hot takes, people are going to remember that before they remember your capabilities. They are going to question your neutrality. They are going to wonder whether you can truly separate your beliefs from your obligations. That is not a position any serious professional should want to create. Think twice about posting “Is this what you voted for, “Let’s go Brandon” or other nonsense that isn’t relevant.
None of this is meant as a personal attack on anyone. It is simply a call for self-awareness and professionalism. Before posting the next political rant, before weighing in on the latest outrage, before attaching your name and brand to a partisan position, stop and ask yourself a few simple questions. Is this helping my business? Is this helping my team? Is this helping my clients? Is this making me look more professional, more disciplined, and more credible? Or is it just self-indulgence dressed up as conviction?
If someone wants to be deeply involved in politics, that is their right. Run for office. Join a campaign. Become a commentator. Build a platform around that world. But if your role is to protect people, manage risk, and operate professionally in complex environments, then do that. Stay focused on the mission. Stay disciplined. Keep your personal politics where they belong.
Do your job. Go home alive. Repeat.
About the Author
Brandon Shafikhani is the CEO of Samaritan Protective Services, a global security and risk management firm based in the Washington, DC area with an office in London. A U.S. Army combat veteran and security professional, he has provided protection and advisory support to world leaders, corporate executives, celebrities, high-net-worth individuals, and other clients operating in complex environments. His work is grounded in professionalism, discretion, preparedness, and the belief that security should remain mission-focused and intelligence-led.
