President Donald Trump has terminated Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, the children of former President Joe Biden, citing “ridiculous” costs to American taxpayers.
The decision came shortly after Trump learned about Hunter Biden’s recent trip to South Africa with his Secret Service detail.
The president made the announcement on Truth Social hours after being questioned by a reporter about Hunter’s security detail, which Trump claimed he wasn’t previously aware of.
“Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer,” Trump wrote. “There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous!”
Trump specifically mentioned Hunter’s vacation to South Africa, stating, “He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned.”
As a consequence, Trump declared that South Africa would be “taken off our list of Countries receiving Economic and Financial Assistance.”
In the same post, Trump announced that Ashley Biden, who reportedly has 13 agents assigned to her protection, would also lose her security detail.
The Daily Mail explained that former presidents and first ladies typically receive lifetime Secret Service protection, but their children aren’t guaranteed protection after turning 16 unless specifically authorized by the president.
Joe Biden had granted his children six months of Secret Service protection after leaving office – a practice not without precedent, as Trump had done the same for his adult children after his first term ended in 2021.
Hunter Biden was recently photographed in Cape Town staying in a $500-a-night beachfront villa.
The Daily Mail noted that reports suggest the cost to taxpayers for his 18-agent security detail could reach $500,000.
The outlet further reported that when Trump extended protection to his four adult children after leaving office in 2021, the move drew criticism from Democrats over its $1.7 million price tag.
The Biden children aren’t the only individuals to lose government protection under Trump’s administration. Resist the Mainstream reported that in his first month back in office, Trump also removed security details for former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Hunter Biden faces significant financial challenges, according to recent court filings reviewed by the Daily Mail.
In March, he claimed to be struggling to sell his artwork and experiencing plummeting book sales. His legal representatives stated he has “millions of dollars in debt” and difficulty finding a new permanent residence following January fires.
The outlet highlighted that his financial obligations reportedly include $5,000 monthly child support payments to his daughter with former assistant Lunden Roberts, and $2.9 million in alimony owed to his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle.
Meanwhile, Ashley Biden’s charitable work has drawn attention.
Her initiative, Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce, received a $250,000 donation from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation. Nile Gardiner from the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom has called for “significant scrutiny” and “full transparency and oversight” regarding this donation, Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
