Why did American taxpayers pay for Donald Trump’s kids’ Secret Security to fly all over the world on their own business trips and to kill endangered sheep? They did not live with him in the White House. Granted, Ivanka and Jared Kushner did work in the West Wing, but did everyone who worked in the West Wing get secret Service all of the time? Now, it seems that the Trump kiddies have something even better, even more expensive.
As the 45th president was oh so reluctantly leaving the White House, he decided to give all of his children and all of his grandchildren Secret Service protection. For how long?
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has asked for the Secret Service records telling how much this extended family protection would cost. It also wanted to know how much of that cost came from the ex-president’s properties just the month after Trump left office.
According to ABC News, first children received extended protection as “a courtesy” to the vacating president. It goes to him and his children. However, that does not typically include independent first children once they leave college:
‘By law, the former president and first lady receive lifetime protection, and youngest son Barron Trump will receive protection until he’s 16 years old. Former Vice President Mike Pence by law receives six months of protection after he leaves office.’
The protection further broke down:
‘Former President Trump’s four adult children and their two spouses are receiving Secret Service protection for an additional six months following Trump’s departure from office, former administration officials.’
In a very surprising move, Trump included staff members in that protection order, according to CREW:
‘[F]ormer Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, and former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin are also receiving Secret Service protection beyond Trump’s term.’
First Lady Melania Trump and first child Barron received protection when they lived in New York City prior to their move to D.C. That actually interrupted air traffic:
‘The temporary flight restriction kept most general aviation under 3,000 feet from entering a one-mile radius surrounding the Midtown Manhattan building without prior permission.’
‘It initially extended all the way west into the Hudson River, but was later reduced so as not to affect aviation using that popular corridor, like tour helicopters.’
It appeared that the ex-president’s protection included:
 ‘[H]im or his family or his family businesses, for 13 of his children and grandchildren. During Trump’s presidency, CREW discovered that the Trump family was taking twelve times the number of protected trips than the Obama family did.’
It appeared that the ex-president’s Secret Service was costly:
‘Often, that travel ended up costing the American people hundreds of thousands of dollars, from the security costs for international business trips to the cost of golf cart rentals. Even more troublingly, that spending often occurred at Trump businesses that the family owned (sic) and profited from.’
CREW said:
‘the American people footing the bill for this unusual arrangement, they deserve to know exactly how much it is costing them.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
