President Donald Trump said Monday he was ending “immediately” the Secret Service protection details assigned to Joe Biden’s adult children, which the former president had extended for six months shortly before leaving office in January.

The Republican president on social media objected to what he said were 18 agents assigned to Hunter Biden’s protective detail while in South Africa this week. He said Ashley Biden has 13 agents assigned to her detail and that she too “will be taken off the list.”

There was no immediate reaction from the former president’s office.

Former presidents and their spouses receive life-long Secret Service protection under federal law, but the protection afforded to their immediate families over the age of 16 ends when they leave office. But outgoing presidents can extend protection for those who might otherwise not be eligible for up to six months after they leave office, something Biden did for his children and Trump did for his family after leaving office in 2021. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush also extended protection for their families for a period.

    • GoodEye8@lemm.eeEnglish
      293·
      14 hours ago

      Also bold of him to assume the democratic party is capable of change.

    • samus12345@lemm.eeEnglish
      2·
      8 hours ago

      Not too bold, since states run elections, and blue states will continue to run normal ones. Red, states, though? Oh, those’ll be corrupt up the wazoo.

      • eldavi@lemmy.mlEnglish
        4·
        7 hours ago

        and they’re a majority by almost 2:1, guaranteeing republican victories going forward.

        • samus12345@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          1 hour ago

          Yup. It’s grim nationally, but at least blue states have a change of not being total shitholes within.