(AFP) – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is withdrawing Hunter Biden’s government bodyguards, extending his campaign of political retribution to Joe Biden’s son. Trump announced the same measure against Ashley Biden, the former president’s daughter with former first lady Jill.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted that Hunter Biden’s security detail is composed of as many as 18 people, calling it “ridiculous.” He said Hunter Biden was currently on vacation in South Africa and noted he had recently suspended US aid to the country over alleged rights violations. “Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list,” Trump wrote.
Federal law grants Secret Service protection to former presidents and their spouses, but only to their children if they are under age 16. Nonetheless, protection is often extended for a period of time to adult children. A Secret Service spokesperson, when queried about Trump’s action, told AFP: “We are aware of the President’s decision to terminate protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden. The Secret Service will comply and is actively working with the protective details and the White House to ensure compliance as soon as possible.”
Hunter Biden has been a target of Republican ire for years, with the animosity intensifying after his father pardoned his gun and tax crime convictions shortly before leaving office in January. On Monday, Trump declared that the pardon and others issued by Biden were void, an unprecedented move with unclear legal founding. Trump’s revocation of the security details is his latest act of apparent or explicit retribution against perceived enemies since returning to office in January.
His administration previously revoked the security clearances of former president Biden and dozens of ex-officials, as well as all employees at several law firms associated with his Democratic opponents. Trump has also revoked security details from former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, former national security advisor John Bolton, and Anthony Fauci, who led the country’s fight against Covid-19.
The White House has justified these decisions, saying that people are not entitled to security protection and clearances for life. “The individuals you’re mentioning are quite wealthy, I understand, so they can get their own private security if they wish,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in January.
After his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump issued an order giving a six-month extension of Secret Service protection to all four of his adult children and three senior administration officials. The measure cost taxpayers $1.7 million, The Washington Post has reported, quoting an analysis of spending records.
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