President Donald Trump ended Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protection after conservative activist Laura Loomer publicly questioned why taxpayers were funding security during Hunter Biden’s trip to South Africa. Hunter Biden now says the decision came just one day after Loomer’s social media posts criticizing the arrangement.
Speaking on the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast, Hunter Biden recalled traveling to Cape Town with his wife, Melissa, after the devastating California wildfires forced them to leave their Malibu home during the Palisades fire in early 2025.
According to Hunter Biden, the controversy began almost immediately after they arrived.
He said Laura Loomer posted a photo on X showing him, his wife and their son in South Africa while questioning why American taxpayers were paying for a Secret Service detail to accompany him on what appeared to be a personal overseas trip.
Hunter Biden said Loomer argued the arrangement was an unnecessary expense for taxpayers.
“And the next day, the president canceled the Secret Service, which is fine,” Hunter Biden said during the interview.
Hunter Biden Says Protection Was Removed
During the podcast, Hunter Biden acknowledged that his parents, former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden, will continue receiving Secret Service protection for life under federal law.
Podcast host Benny Blanco asked whether Hunter believed he was the first child of a former president to lose Secret Service protection.
“I think so,” Hunter Biden replied.
The U.S. Secret Service has not publicly commented on Hunter Biden’s latest remarks.
Laura Loomer Celebrates The Decision
After clips from the interview spread across social media, Laura Loomer reposted the video on X with a single word:
“LOOMERED.”
Loomer argued that ending Hunter Biden’s taxpayer-funded Secret Service protection was the right decision and defended her efforts to bring attention to the issue.
She questioned why taxpayers should fund security for Hunter Biden during an overseas trip and said she believed the protection detail represented unnecessary government spending.
Loomer also claimed she deserved credit for raising the issue publicly and suggested her posts helped spark the administration’s decision.
The South Africa Trip Drew Attention
The controversy first erupted in March when Loomer reported that Hunter Biden was in South Africa after previously telling a federal judge he was facing financial difficulties and struggling to pay legal expenses.
Loomer also claimed Hunter Biden was traveling with an active Secret Service detail, prompting renewed criticism from conservatives who questioned whether taxpayers should continue funding protection for the president’s adult children after leaving office.
The posts quickly gained attention online and fueled debate over government spending and presidential security.
Trump Ends Protection For Hunter And Ashley Biden
About a week after the controversy gained traction, President Trump announced that Secret Service protection for both Hunter Biden and his sister, Ashley Biden, would be terminated.
Under federal law, former presidents receive lifetime Secret Service protection. However, protection for adult children is generally temporary unless extended by the sitting president.
Trump’s decision placed Hunter Biden and Ashley Biden under the same policy applied to most adult children of former presidents.
Part Of A Broader Pattern
The Hunter Biden decision was not the first time President Trump ended taxpayer-funded security details for former government officials.
During his administration, Trump also revoked protective details for former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former White House COVID adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and former Iran envoy Brian Hook.
Supporters of those decisions argued that taxpayer-funded security should be reserved for individuals who qualify under federal law or face extraordinary security threats. Critics, meanwhile, questioned whether some of the decisions were influenced by political disagreements.
Debate Continues
Hunter Biden now says the timing of the decision closely followed Laura Loomer’s criticism on social media, while Loomer continues to argue that ending the taxpayer-funded protection was a victory for government accountability.
The Trump administration has not stated whether Loomer’s posts directly influenced the president’s decision. However, the episode has renewed debate over how long Secret Service protection should extend to the adult children of former presidents and whether taxpayers should continue covering those costs once a president leaves office.
For many conservatives, the decision reflected President Trump’s broader commitment to reducing government spending and reviewing taxpayer-funded benefits that go beyond what federal law requires. Critics continue to argue the issue should be evaluated based solely on security needs rather than political considerations, ensuring the debate over presidential protection remains far from settled.