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President Donald Trump has officially revoked Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden and his sister Ashley Biden, citing excessive taxpayer expenditure and Hunter's controversial South African vacation. The announcement came through a Truth Social post on March 17, 2025, where Trump declared the termination "effective immediately."
"Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer," Trump wrote. "There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous!"
The decision followed reports that Hunter Biden was vacationing at a $500-per-night luxury villa in Cape Town while missing a scheduled court deposition. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed awareness of the directive, stating the agency is "actively working with the protective details and the White House to ensure compliance as soon as possible."
Sources indicate the process of dismantling the Biden family's security detail will begin March 18, though agents cannot immediately abandon their posts until necessary paperwork is processed.
Trump's announcement came just hours after telling reporters at the Kennedy Center that he would "look into" the situation when informed about Hunter's taxpayer-funded security detail in South Africa. "I would say if there are 18 [Secret Service agents] with Hunter Biden, that will be something I look at this afternoon," Trump stated.
Former Trump White House aide Garrett Ziegler, who had been involved in legal proceedings with Hunter Biden, told The New York Post that Hunter had "fled the country" and that "US taxpayers are footing the bill for it."
The revocation also extends to Ashley Biden, who reportedly had 13 agents assigned to her detail. Secret Service protection does not automatically extend to adult children of former presidents, but former President Joe Biden had directed special protection for his son during the final weeks of his administration.
Trump has previously eliminated Secret Service details for former administration officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton after taking office in January.
The president also expressed displeasure regarding Hunter's presence in South Africa, noting his administration had halted foreign aid to the country due to land redistribution policies. "South Africa, you know, is on a watch list...because what they're doing to people is brutal, and I've stopped having money go to South Africa," Trump remarked.
