Election 2020

Trump Extends Secret Service Protection to All of His Kids and Grandkids — At Taxpayer Expense

Several members of former President Donald Trump’s family will have protection from the U.S. Secret Service for the next six months, The Washington Post reports. Considered to be the best security in the world, this is something Trump arranged as he was preparing to leave office.

Sources familiar with the plan say Trump issued a mandate to extend the agency’s post-presidency to his four adult children, who weren’t automatically entitled to it.

Federal law states that Trump and Melania are entitled to it for the rest of their lives, while their 14-year-old son Barron is entitled to it until he turns 16. Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen will receive an additional six months of Secret Service protection according to the same law that governs protection, the Post notes.

Trump specified that he wanted every family member who had been protected by the Secret Service during his administration to receive an additional six months of coverage, according to those familiar with his directive. The sources described the security arrangements while speaking on conditions of anonymity.

And of course, we, the taxpayers will be footing the bill for this pricey protection, which will cover his daughter Ivanka Trump, her husband, Jared Kushner, Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, and his wife Lara. Trump’s grandchildren will also benefit, since they are under the care of their parents, after all. Forbes reports taxpayers will likely shell out millions of dollars, especially since nothing seems too lavish for this family.

They have wrung up huge expenses via traveling (taking 12 times as many trips as the Obamas did) during just the first three years of Trump’s presidency. And because Jared and Ivanka didn’t allow the agents to use their bathrooms in their Washington, D.C. home, the agency was forced to cough up $3000 a month to have access to a bathroom.

Because that’s how the Trumps are. This is a family that has utilized as many as 42 agents at one time, former senior administration officials say.

So while a president can order Secret Service protection for anyone they choose, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Trump is doing something that’s unprecedented. And while the agency is saddled with dealing with this large order, it’s now also establishing protective details for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and their families. Full-time security teams will be provided to protect Biden’s adult son and daughter and their seven children and protection will also be provided to Harris’s two stepchildren.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush sought extensions for their daughters, who were all in college when their terms expired. Sasha and Malia Obama also received additional protection after their dad Barack Obama left office.

meet the author

Megan has lived in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida and she currently lives in Central America. Living in these places has informed her writing on politics, science, and history. She is currently owned by 15 cats and 3 dogs and regularly owns Trump supporters when she has the opportunity. She can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GaiaLibra and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/politicalsaurus

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