Washington: President Donald Trump has revoked Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a senior White House officialFriday.
Former vice presidents typically get federal government protection for six months after leaving office, while ex-presidents do so for life. But another person familiar with the matter says then-President Joe Biden quietly signed a directive that had extended protection for Harris beyond the traditional six months.
The people insisted on anonymity Friday to discuss a matter not made public.
Trump is a Republican, and Biden and Harris are Democrats. Trump defeated Harris in the presidential election last year.
The move to drop Harris’ Secret Service protection comes as the former vice president, who became the Democratic nominee last summer after a chaotic series of events that led to Biden dropping out of the contest, is about to embark on a book tour for her memoir, titled “107 Days.” The book is scheduled to be released next month.
A senior Trump administration official said an executive memorandum was issued Thursday to the Department of Homeland Security ending Harris’ security detail and security services. Those had been extended from six to 18 months by the Biden administration, so they would have ended in July 2026, but now they will be terminated Monday.
Last year was a particularly politically charged environment, with Trump facing two assassination attempts, and the Secret Service played a crucial role in protecting the now-president.
Harris is a former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney.
AP
