Why did Donald Trump cancel Hunter Biden's Secret Service detail? $500-a-night trip was last straw

Washington D.C.: President Donald Trump has revoked Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, citing Hunter Biden’s recent trip to South Africa as the primary reason.

The decision came hours after a reporter questioned Trump about the details of Hunter’s security detail. Trump, who claimed he was previously unaware of the arrangement, criticized the high cost to US taxpayers, particularly given Hunter’s overseas travel.

Hunter Biden, who has 18 Secret Service agents, and Ashley Biden, who has 13, were granted six months of protection after their father, Joe Biden, left office. This is not an unusual practice; Trump similarly extended protection to his own children for six months after his first term. However, Trump took issue with Hunter’s trip to South Africa, where he stayed in a $500-a-night beachfront villa. Trump argued that the expense of providing security abroad was unjustified, especially given South Africa’s alleged human rights issues.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced the immediate removal of Secret Service protection for both Hunter and Ashley. He also noted that South Africa would no longer receive US economic and financial assistance. Ashley Biden, who lives and works in Philadelphia, will no longer have her 13-agent detail.

The cost of Hunter’s security detail, estimated at up to 500,000, has drawn criticism, particularly as the Secret Service is already stretched thin protecting Trump and his family.

Trump’s decision has sparked controversy, with Democrats previously criticizing $1.7 million cost of extending protection to Trump’s own children in 2021. This move is not unprecedented for Trump, who also removed security details for former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Dr. Anthony Fauci during his presidency.