DONALD Trump has sensationally ended Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protection “effective immediately”.
The President said it was “ridiculous” Joe Biden’s son still had 18 agents protecting him – all of whom are paid for by the taxpayer.
Trump said on Truth Social: “Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer.”
“Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection.”
He added that Joe Biden’s daughter, Ashley, who has 13 agents for protection, will also be “taken off the list”.
Trump’s announcement came just hours after a reporter asked him about Hunter’s Secret Service detail.
While touring the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday afternoon, Trump was asked if he would revoke the protection for the former president’s son.
He said: “Well, we have done that with many.
“I would say if there are 18 with Hunter Biden, that will be something I’ll look at this afternoon.”
He added that this was the first time he heard about the matter.
“I’m going to take a look at that,” the President said.
All former presidents and their spouses receive Secret Service protection for their whole lives under federal law – but the protection offered to their immediate families over the age of 16 ends when they leave office.
Both Trump and Biden extended the details for their children for six months before leaving office.
The President slammed Hunter for being on holiday in South Africa whilst using taxpayer money for his protection.
He said: “There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous!
“He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned.
“Because of this, South Africa has been taken off our list of Countries receiving Economic and Financial Assistance.
He added that effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer be entitled to Secret Service protection.
Trump continued: “Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list.”
Hunter Biden has long been a political target of Trump’s.
The Don took aim at Hunter after he was pardoned by his dad at the end of his term – breaking an earlier pledge that he would not interfere with his son’s legal issues.
Trump called the pardon a “miscarriage of justice”.
The development is another chapter in the pair’s bitter rivalry – after President Trump halted Biden’s access to daily intelligence briefings in February as revenge for Biden doing the same four years ago.
Biden barred Trump from receiving intelligence briefings that are usually given to former presidents, justifying his actions by claiming Trump’s behaviour before the Capital attack was concerning.
Trump added his notorious phrase “YOU’RE FIRED” on Truth Social whilst claiming that Biden no longer needed to “continue receiving access to classified information”.
The Republican previously revoked the security clearance of more than two dozen former intelligence officials, who he accused of fiddling with the 2020 election which he branded the “greatest fraud in US history”.
He has also revoked security details of other officials before, including Mike Pompeo, Trump’s former secretary of state, John Bolton, his former national security adviser, and Brian Hook, a former aide.
It came despite warnings from the Biden administration that the men faced threats from Iran due to actions they carried out on Trump’s behalf, according to The New York Times.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/13803907/trump-ends-secret-service-biden-hunter/
