President Donald Trump has decided to terminate Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, just seven months after she left office — a move that has sparked fierce political backlash in the United States.
The decision comes as Harris prepares for a nationwide book tour to promote “107 Days”, her memoir recounting the brief and turbulent period of her 2024 presidential bid, BBC reports.
What Does the Law Say?
Under the 2008 federal law, former vice presidents and their families are entitled to Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office. Extensions can be granted if the Homeland Security Secretary deems there is an increased security risk.
According to CNN sources, Joe Biden quietly signed an order in January 2025 — just before leaving the White House — to extend Harris’s protection for an additional year. That decision has now been revoked by Trump.
Is Harris Facing Real Threats?
While recent threat assessments have not identified imminent danger, Harris’s team argues that her status as the first woman and first person of color to serve as U.S. Vice President makes her a target for hate-driven threats.
In 2024, several individuals were arrested over direct threats, including assassination plots and violent online videos.
Outrage in California
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned Trump’s move, calling it “politically motivated and reckless.”
“The safety of public officials should not be a political game. This is a dangerous, vindictive decision,” a Newsom spokesperson told CNN.
Trump’s Defense: A Strained Agency
Analyst Ronald Kessler, who has written extensively on the Secret Service, argued the decision also reflects practical constraints.
“Harris’s book tour would require hundreds of staff hours, dozens of vehicles, and agents across multiple cities. The agency is already overstretched,” he told BBC.
Kessler noted that Trump has also ended protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, as well as former officials like Mike Pompeo and Anthony Fauci — portraying it as part of a broader political purge.
Presidents vs. Vice Presidents
Unlike vice presidents, former U.S. presidents receive lifetime Secret Service protection. This was reinstated under a 2013 law signed by Barack Obama.
The only exception remains Richard Nixon, who voluntarily gave up his protection in 1985 to reduce agency costs.
For now, Harris will be forced to rely on private security, with costs that experts estimate could run into the millions of dollars annually.
