BBC: Trump cancels extended Secret Service protection for Kamala Harris

President Donald Trump has reportedly cancelled the Secret Service protection for his democratic opponent in the 2024 presidential elections Kamala Harris that had been arranged by Joe Biden before he left office.

As a former vice-president, Harris was legally entitled to receive six months of this additional security following her departure from office in January 2025.

Her protection had been extended for an additional year through an executive directive signed by her former boss, but this was reportedly revoked by Trump in a memo, dated August 28 and seen by the BBC.

The decision comes just weeks before Harris is set to embark on a national book tour to promote 107 Days—a memoir chronicling her brief and ultimately unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign.

A copy of a letter, also dated 28 August and seen by the BBC, instructs the Secret Service to "discontinue any security-related procedures previously authorised by Executive Memorandum, beyond those required by law" for Harris starting 1 September.

The removal of Harris’ Secret Service protection means she will no longer have agents assigned to safeguard her and her property in Los Angeles, nor benefit from proactive threat intelligence aimed at identifying and preventing potential risks.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass—both fellow Democrats from the same state where Harris used to hold the highest law enforcement office (Attorney General), have expressed outrage over the announcement.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has revoked Secret Service protections for several individuals, including Hunter and Ashley Biden, the children of the former president, and Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

A number of former Trump officials and allies have also lost their protections, including ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, a former national security advisor who became a vocal critic of the president during the 2024 election campaign. 

"We are not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives," Trump stated at the time while confirming the wave of removals.

By Nazrin Sadigova