Yesterday, President Trump announced that he will lift Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, offspring of his White House predecessor Joe Biden.
The two are currently guarded by 18 and 13 agents, respectively. In a post released on his Truth Social platform, Trump called the number of people assigned to their protection “ridiculous.” “Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer”, Trump said. “Likewise, Ashley Biden will be taken off the list,” he added.
Former presidents and their spouses benefit from lifetime Secret Service protection, while their children are guaranteed supervision until age 16, according to federal law, an age that both Hunter and Ashley Biden are long past, being 55 and 43, respectively.
However, outgoing presidents can extend protection to those who would not be entitled to it for six months after leaving office, as Biden did for his children and Trump did for his family after leaving office in 2021. Previously, such a decision was also made by Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
In December, in one of his last acts as president, Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted of three federal gun-related crimes and tax charges. The former Democratic leader said he believed his son had been “selectively and unjustly persecuted.”
“We are aware of the President’s decision to terminate protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden,” the Secret Service stated after Trump’s decision, “The agency will comply and is actively working with the protective details and the White House to ensure compliance as soon as possible.”
