President Trump abruptly revokes Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, leaving the former First Children to fend for themselves while one vacations in South Africa.
Key Insights
- President Trump terminated Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden (who had 18 agents) and Ashley Biden (who had 13 agents), which was originally extended by Joe Biden until July 2025.
- By law, protection for adult presidential children ends when a president leaves office, though temporary extensions are common and have been granted by previous administrations.
- Hunter Biden is currently vacationing in South Africa with taxpayer-funded security, raising questions about resource allocation for a private citizen with no official role.
- Critics suggest the Biden family should use their own funds for private security rather than continuing with extensive government protection.
Trump Orders Immediate End to Biden Children’s Protection
President Donald Trump has ordered the immediate termination of Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, the adult children of former President Joe Biden. The protection had been extended by the former president after leaving office in January, with a planned continuation until July. The decision affects approximately 30 taxpayer-funded agents who had been assigned to protect the Biden children, with 18 reportedly accompanying Hunter and 13 assigned to Ashley. The Secret Service has acknowledged the order and confirmed they are working to comply with the president’s directive.
The move comes after reports that Hunter Biden was vacationing in South Africa with his Secret Service detail, a fact that apparently caught President Trump’s attention. When asked about the situation before making his decision, Trump remarked, “Well, we have done that with many. I would say if there are 18 with Hunter Biden, that will be something I’ll look at this afternoon.” Hours later, the protection was officially revoked, drawing both criticism and support from various political quarters.
Legal Framework and Historical Context
According to federal law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection, but protection for their children over age 16 typically ends when they leave office. Presidents do have the authority to extend this protection temporarily, usually for up to six months, which is what President Biden did for his adult children. This practice isn’t unusual – both Barack Obama and George W. Bush extended protection for their families after leaving the White House, though the exact number of agents assigned varies based on security assessments.
“We are aware of the President’s decision to terminate protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden,” The agency
What makes this case notable is both the abruptness of the termination and the circumstances surrounding Hunter Biden specifically. His ongoing legal issues, controversial business dealings, and high profile have made him a potential security risk according to some security experts. The number of agents assigned to him – reportedly 18 – raised eyebrows within the Trump administration, who questioned whether such extensive resources were appropriate for a former president’s adult son with no official government role.
Hunter’s South African Vacation Sparks Controversy
The timing of Trump’s decision has drawn particular attention as Hunter Biden is currently in South Africa, a country recently removed from the list of nations receiving U.S. economic assistance due to human rights concerns. Critics have questioned the wisdom of maintaining an extensive Secret Service detail for a private vacation in a foreign country, particularly given Hunter Biden’s controversial profile. The protection detail reportedly had been traveling with him internationally, including on personal trips that had no connection to government business.
“Hunter reportedly was running the White House after his father got bulldozed by Trump in the CNN debate last June.” Nick Sortor
Further complicating matters, recent reports have suggested that Hunter Biden attended sensitive White House meetings without proper security clearance during his father’s administration. These allegations have fueled criticism that the Biden family received special treatment, including extensive Secret Service protection that some consider excessive for adult children of a former president. The Trump administration has suggested that if the Bidens feel continued protection is necessary, they should arrange for private security using their own financial resources.
Sources:
- Trump says he’s ending Secret Service protection for Biden’s adult children
- Trump Made Some Changes to Hunter Biden’s Secret Service Detail
