Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Trump ends federal security detail for former Vice President Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris attends a Department of Defence Commander in Chief farewell ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, 16 January, 2025
Kamala Harris attends a Department of Defence Commander in Chief farewell ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, 16 January, 2025 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Rory Sullivan
Published on
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button

The Democrat received an automatic six months of protection after leaving office, which Joe Biden renewed for another year.

ADVERTISEMENT

US President Donald Trump has revoked former Vice President Kamala Harris' Secret Service protection, a senior White House Official said on Friday.

Unlike ex-presidents, who all receive federal government protection for life, former vice presidents only have the privilege for an automatic six months after leaving office.

However, former President Joe Biden extended Harris' security, which was supposed to end on 21 July, for another year in an undisclosed directive.

In a letter seen by US media, Trump directed the Secret Service on Thursday to "discontinue any security-related procedures previously authorised by Executive Memorandum, beyond those required by law."

The move is expected to come into effect at the start of September.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, 22 August, 2025
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, 22 August, 2025 AP Photo

Since starting his second presidential term in January, Trump has removed federal security details from some of his former officials, including John Bolton, his ex-national security adviser, and Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state.

In March, the US president then ended the security that covered Hunter and Ashley, the children of his predecessor Joe Biden.

They had been granted extended protection in an executive order from their father.

The decision to revoke Harris' security detail comes just weeks before she goes on a promotional tour for her book, 107 Days, which tells the story of her short campaign for the US presidency.

Harris, a former California attorney general who lost to Trump in November's presidential election, announced that she would not run for governor of the state next year.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesperson Bob Salladay criticised Trump's decision to end protection for Harris.

"The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses," he said.

Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, where Harris lives, also expressed outrage at the move.

"This is another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances and more," she told CNN.

"This puts the former vice president in danger and I look forward to working with the governor to make sure Vice President Harris is safe in Los Angeles."

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

Is Trump's payback tour blowing over the Atlantic? 

Trump calls for billionaire George Soros to face federal charges

Trump demands death penalty for all murder cases in Washington