Trump Revokes Secret Service Protection For Hunter And Ashley Biden

Topline

President Donald Trump said Monday he would end Secret Service protection for former President Joe Biden’s children, Hunter and Ashley Biden, effective immediately, after revoking security clearances for several of his political foes.

Key Facts

Trump said Monday on Truth Social Hunter Biden has “as many as 18 people on his detail, which is ridiculous” and Ashley Biden “has 13 agents.”

Trump made the announcement after he said in February he would revoke Biden’s security clearances and stop his daily intelligence briefings after Biden also prevented Trump from receiving daily intelligence briefings after leaving office, citing his role in contesting the results of the 2020 election.

Trump said he would examine Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protections when prompted by a reporter Monday, telling media it was “the first time” he heard that Hunter Biden had 18 Secret Service agents with him in South Africa over the weekend.

The Trump administration has revoked Secret Service protection for a number of his political nemeses since taking office, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Advisor John Bolton and former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci.

The Trump administration also revoked security clearances for former Biden officials, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, earlier this month.

Key Background

Federal law grants former presidents and their spouses lifelong Secret Service protection and protection for their children up until the age of 16, though former presidents, including Biden and Trump, have asked for temporary extensions for their adult children. The Trump administration has also moved to revoke security clearances of 51 former U.S. officials who signed a 2020 letter determining the contents of the infamous laptop that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden were the product of Russian disinformation, along with lawyers who provided legal services to former Special Counsel Jack Smith and the law firm Perkins Coie, which frequently works with Democrats.

Tangent

Biden pardoned his son Hunter, who was facing federal gun- and tax-related charges, just before leaving office, despite previous statements that he would not pardon his son. Trump on Monday claimed Biden’s pardoning of Hunter Biden, among other Biden family members and members of the House Jan. 6 committee, were “void” because they were signed with an autopen, alleging, without evidence, Biden “knew nothing about them.” Other presidents have used autopens, including former President Barack Obama to sign legislation in 2011, according to NPR.

Further Reading

Trump admin formally revokes a raft of Biden officials’ security clearances (Politico)

Trump targets prominent Democratic-linked law firm (Politico)

Trump Terminates Fauci’s Government Security Protection (The New York Times)