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President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is immediately revoking Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden and Ashley Biden, the two adult children of former President Joe Biden.
“Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that Ashley Biden also “will be taken off the list.”
A Secret Service official confirmed the decision, stating that the agency is “actively working with the protective details and the White House to ensure compliance as soon as possible.”
Presidential Authority Over Secret Service Protections
Under federal law, the Secret Service provides lifetime protection to former presidents and their spouses unless they decline it. Former presidents’ children are eligible for protection until age 16, but additional security beyond that is at the discretion of the sitting president.
- Hunter Biden, 55, and Ashley Biden, 43, were granted extended Secret Service protection by Joe Biden before he left office in January.
- After Trump’s first term ended in 2021, Biden extended protection to Trump’s adult children for six months.
- Trump’s decision removes the security detail earlier than Biden’s extension, which was set to last until July 2025.
Trump’s History of Revoking Secret Service Protections
Since returning to office, Trump has made multiple high-profile cuts to Secret Service protection:
January 2025: Dr. Anthony Fauci had his security detail revoked. Fauci led the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been the target of threats.
January 2025: John Bolton, former White House National Security Adviser, also had his protection removedafter writing a book critical of Trump.
“When you work for government, at some point your security detail comes off,” Trump said in January. “And, you know, you can’t have them forever.”
Why It Matters
This decision comes amid ongoing legal and political battles involving Hunter Biden, who is facing federal gun and tax charges, and increased scrutiny of the Biden family’s business dealings.
It also raises questions about security risks for high-profile political figures and whether presidential discretion should be used to remove security protections for former first families.
