President Donald Trump has ordered an end to Kamala Harris’ taxpayer-funded Secret Service protection, closing the book on a special extension quietly granted by Joe Biden just before leaving office.
Under the law, former vice presidents receive six months of protection after leaving office. Harris’ coverage expired in July 2021. Biden, however, issued a last-minute directive extending her detail another full year — a move never publicly disclosed until now. Trump canceled that order in a memorandum Thursday, writing:
“You are hereby authorized to discontinue any security-related procedures previously authorized by Executive Memorandum, beyond those required by law, for the following individual, effective September 1, 2025: Former Vice President Kamala D. Harris.”
The Secret Service confirmed the directive came directly from the White House. Agency officials did not raise security objections, noting Harris’ protection ranged from a dozen to several dozen agents depending on her schedule.
The timing comes just weeks before Harris begins a national book tour for her upcoming memoir, 107 Days, about her failed presidential run. That will put her back in the public eye, though not with the 24/7 taxpayer-funded security she’s enjoyed until now.
Her senior adviser Kirsten Allen struck a polite tone, saying: “The Vice President is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety.”
Democrats were quick to cry foul. California Gov. Gavin Newsom was briefed late Thursday, and his spokesperson blasted the move as “erratic, vindictive political impulses.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass went further, claiming, “This is another act of revenge… This puts the former Vice President in danger.”
But the facts are straightforward: Harris had already received protection beyond what the law provides. That extension was a political favor from Biden, not a security necessity. Former presidents, not vice presidents, receive lifetime protection. Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, lost his detail on July 21 as scheduled — without controversy.
Security can still be provided at the state or local level, as it is for countless other officials. But taxpayers should not be on the hook indefinitely for the personal security costs of politicians turned authors and speakers. Maintaining around-the-clock federal protection, with threat monitoring, intelligence analysis, and guarded residences, can run into the millions each year.
Democrats are already framing this as retaliation, but to many Americans, it looks like a long-overdue correction of political favoritism. Harris is free to hire private protection — just like every other public figure not entitled under federal law to special coverage.
Trump’s decision underscores a broader principle: rules and laws must apply consistently, not be bent by political allies behind closed doors. At a time when Washington already bleeds taxpayer dollars on wasteful programs and bloated bureaucracies, trimming unnecessary perks is exactly the kind of common-sense discipline voters expect.
