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President Donald Trump announced the immediate termination of Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, citing Hunter’s lack of entitlement to such security as a 55-year-old adult.
Trump learned that 18 agents had accompanied Hunter on a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, a detail he deemed excessive and taxpayer-funded, especially given Hunter’s claims of financial hardship. This decision also extended to Ashley Biden, Hunter’s sister, who had 13 agents assigned to her, ending a six-month extension of protection that Joe Biden had authorized before leaving office in January 2025. Under federal law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection, but their children are only guaranteed coverage until age 16, though outgoing presidents can extend this for up to six months. Trump had extended protection for his adult children—Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany—for six months after his first term ended in 2021.
The Secret Service assigns agents based on threat assessments, with numbers varying depending on the individual’s profile and risks; for instance, former President George W. Bush had dozens of agents post-tenure due to lingering threats. Hunter’s detail of 18 agents and Ashley’s 13 have sparked debate over this protection, which has persisted for decades, with proponents arguing it ensures safety amid political violence—evidenced by surging threats in recent years—while critics, like former Rep. Howard Coble, contend that wealthy ex-presidents and their adult children should fund their own security. The Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 reinstated lifetime protection for presidents after a brief limitation period, but no such mandate exists for adult offspring, leaving extensions discretionary.
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NEW BOMBSHELL: Hunter Biden’s vacation scandal grows after Trump yanks Secret Service protection
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