According to a letter reviewed by CNN, Trump ended the special arrangement that had quietly extended Harris’ security detail beyond the usual legal limit. By law, former vice presidents only receive Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office. For Harris, that ended on July 21. But President Joe Biden, before leaving the White House, signed a private directive giving her an extra year of protection.
That’s the order Trump canceled in his Thursday memo to the Secretary of Homeland Security. The letter read: “You are hereby authorized to discontinue any security-related procedures previously authorized by Executive Memorandum, beyond those required by law, for the following individual, effective September 1, 2025: Former Vice President Kamala D. Harris.”
Neither the White House nor the Secret Service has commented on the decision.
The timing couldn’t be more sensitive. Harris is preparing to launch her memoir, 107 Days, on September 23, and she’ll be traveling across several major cities to promote it. Until now, she’s largely stayed out of the public eye since leaving office, appearing at only a handful of events.
Kirsten Allen, a senior adviser to Harris, told CNN, “The Vice President is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety.”
But losing federal protection is no small thing. According to The New York Times, Secret Service coverage is about more than bodyguards. It also means constant monitoring of threats online, analyzing intelligence, and securing private spaces. Without that, Harris’ team worries they’ll be cut off from important threat information. Her Los Angeles home will no longer have federal agents stationed outside. Replacing that level of protection with private security could cost millions each year.
Her husband, Doug Emhoff, already lost his detail in July when his six-month window expired.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on the situation Thursday night. While his office said it couldn’t comment on specific security steps, Newsom’s spokesperson Bob Salladay blasted Trump’s move: “The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also weighed in, saying, “This is another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances and more. This puts the former Vice President in danger and I look forward to working with the Governor to make sure Vice President Harris is safe in Los Angeles.”
Security has always been a sensitive issue for Harris. As the first woman and the first Black woman to serve as vice president, officials said she faced unique threats that escalated once she became a presidential candidate. Even months after the election ended, her security team considered the threat level high.
The concern now is whether she’ll be left vulnerable at a time when she’s stepping back into the national spotlight. With her book tour just weeks away, the conversation around her safety is only beginning.