Donald Trump spent the majority of his presidency costing the American taxpayers as much money as humanly possible. Whether it was his numerous golf outings or his wife’s jet-setting lifestyle to New York for a shopping spree, or her desire to hang out in their lavish apartment instead of the White House with a full Secret Service detail — the Trump administration has never been cheap on the American people.
To be frank, the guy who was absolutely obsessed with the economy sure cost us a boatload of money. And unsurprisingly, he stayed true to that form on his way out the door.
According to a new report from the Washington Post, Trump ordered expanded U.S. Secret Service protection for himself and more than a dozen family members, including extended family members, blatantly defying the agency’s typical regulations for a former president and their family.
“Trump issued a directive to extend post-presidency Secret Service protection to 14 members of his family who were not automatically entitled to receive it,” the Post reports.
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In the end, the American people, who are already suffering the financial hardships of Trump’s lackluster response to the pandemic, will be sacked with the bill for the additional protections ordered by the now-former president — even after he completely destroyed the budget outlined for the protective agency over the course of the past four to five years.
Traditionally speaking, the children of a president that has left office are entitled to Secret Service protection until they reach the age of 16. The president and their spouse are entitled to lifetime protection. However, on his way out, Trump demanded that every member of his family who has received protection continue to receive it for the next six months.
The Post explains, “That means the expensive, taxpayer-funded security will continue for his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, their three children, his son Donald Trump Jr. and his five children, his son Eric Trump and his wife Lara and his daughter Tiffany Trump.”
Trump and his family have always abused their power when it comes to their Secret Service protection, taking upwards of 4500 trips during just the first two years of his presidency.
Citizens for Ethics (CREW) has noted that “the Trump family took more trips that required Secret Service protection in one year than the Obama family took in seven.”
But frankly, I’m not a bit surprised that Donald did everything he could to screw us one last time on his way out.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery
