President Trump announced Monday that he’s revoking the Secret Service protection he had granted to President Joseph R. Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, after learning he took the 18 agents in his detail on an extended trip to South Africa.
Mr. Trump announced on Truth Social he’s also taking away the 13 officers who are protecting Mr. Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden.
Mr. Trump was informed Monday by The Washington Times of a report that Hunter Biden was on a luxury vacation in South Africa and had brought his large Secret Service detail with him.
“I just heard about it for the first time,” the president responded to The Times. “So he’s in South Africa. That’s really interesting. All right, I’m going to take a look at that.”
A short time later, Mr. Trump revoked the protective details for both Hunter and Ashley Biden.
“Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media. “There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous!”
Mr. Trump was more irked by Hunter Biden’s destination.
He was spotted last week in Cape Town accompanied by his South African-born wife, Melissa.
Mr. Trump has accused South Africa of seizing land from White farmers without compensation and has revoked all U.S. economic assistance to the country.
“He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned,” Mr. Trump said.
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer first reported that Hunter Biden went to South Africa with his Secret Service detail in tow.
He fled to South Africa amid demands that he pay the legal costs of a lawsuit he filed against a former Trump aide, Garrett Ziegler, who published the salacious contents of his discarded laptop computer.
Hunter Biden told the judge in the case earlier this month that he was in such financial straits that he had to drop the lawsuit.
“Thank you for moving quickly on this, POTUS,” Mr. Ziegler posted on X. “Let JoeBiden pay for the security of this miscreant manchild.”
The Times reached out to Hunter Biden’s legal team.
President Biden has revoked protective details from other former administration officials, including his former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook.
Current law does not extend protective services to adult children of former presidents, but according to reports, Mr. Trump had extended the protection to Hunter Biden until July.
Hunter Biden was convicted of firearms charges and was facing a litany of tax evasion charges until he was pardoned by his father shortly before the elder Mr. Biden’s presidency ended in January.
