Trump Ends Secret Service for Hunter and Ashley Biden
Immediate Action
In a bold move, President Donald Trump swiftly ended Secret Service protection for President Joe Biden’s adult children, Hunter and Ashley Biden. He cited excessive costs and large security details as key reasons for the decision, which he announced on March 17 via social media.
Cutting Costs and Security Details
Just weeks into his new term, Trump wasted no time reducing taxpayer-funded security. He revoked Secret Service protection for several high-profile figures, including former National Security Advisor John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and retired General Mark Milley. All three had previously faced credible threats from Iran due to their roles in Trump’s first administration.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who had received protection after numerous threats tied to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, was also removed from the list.
Trump Defends His Decision
While touring the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a reporter questioned Trump about Hunter Biden’s Secret Service detail during his vacation in South Africa.
“That will be something I’ll look at this afternoon,” Trump responded. “OK. I just heard about it for the first time.”
Hours later, Trump made it official, announcing on Truth Social that Hunter Biden’s security detail was revoked immediately.
“Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period, all paid for by the United States taxpayer,” Trump wrote. “There are as many as 18 people on this detail, which is ridiculous!”
Ashley Biden, who reportedly had 13 agents assigned to her, also lost her protection.
Why Now?
Trump’s dislike for Biden and his family is no secret. Even though their election battle is over, he frequently references his predecessor’s policies.
By law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection unless they decline it. However, their children lose protection at age 16. Both Biden and Trump extended their children’s security details for six months post-presidency, but Trump’s latest move officially ends those extensions.
Trump also criticized Hunter Biden’s vacation in South Africa, a country he has condemned for human rights concerns and land confiscation policies.
Biden’s Controversial Pardons
Trump’s announcement came shortly after Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for Hunter Biden, covering all federal offenses from 2014 to 2024. This unprecedented move erased Hunter’s convictions for tax evasion and illegal gun possession.
Despite previously vowing not to interfere, Biden defended his decision: “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can conclude anything other than that he was singled out simply because he is my son—and that is wrong. Enough is enough.”
Before leaving office, Biden also granted preemptive pardons to several figures, including Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the congressional committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot. Law enforcement officers who testified before the committee were also pardoned. Biden argued that these individuals were at risk of political persecution.
Trump Declares Biden’s Pardons ‘Void’
In another bombshell statement, Trump declared that several of Biden’s last-minute pardons were “void, vacant, and of no further force or effect.” He specifically questioned pardons for members of the January 6 committee, alleging they had been improperly signed using an autopen—a device that replicates signatures.
“Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two-year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
