In a major decision, former President Donald Trump announced that he is ending Secret Service protection for President Joe Biden’s adult children.
Before leaving office, Biden had extended this protection for six more months. However, Trump has now decided to stop it immediately.
Trump shared his frustration on social media, calling the security details for Hunter and Ashley Biden a waste of taxpayer money. He claimed that 18 Secret Service agents were currently assigned to Hunter Biden while he was in South Africa, and 13 agents were protecting Ashley Biden. Trump declared that Ashley would also be removed from the protection list.
Who Gets Secret Service Protection?
By law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection. However, their adult children only get security while they are in office, unless an extension is approved. Biden had arranged for his children to have extra protection, but Trump has now revoked that decision.
Trump’s Criticism
Trump strongly criticized the cost of Hunter Biden’s protection, claiming it was an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. He argued that the number of agents assigned was excessive, especially for someone on vacation in South Africa.
He also mentioned that due to human rights concerns, South Africa had been removed from the list of countries receiving U.S. financial aid.
Other Actions Against Biden
Trump has taken several actions against Biden since taking office, including:
- Revoking Biden’s security clearance.
- Questioning Biden’s pardons. Trump claimed that some pardons were signed using an autopen (an electronic signature tool) and were therefore not valid.
However, legal experts have pointed out that presidents are not required to personally sign pardons. The use of autopen has been a common practice in previous administrations.
Response from the White House
When asked if Trump had the power to cancel Biden’s pardons, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt avoided giving a direct answer. Instead, she suggested that journalists should investigate whether Biden personally approved those pardons.
This latest move by Trump is part of a series of aggressive actions aimed at reversing Biden’s policies and decisions.
