Donald Trump Jr. has stayed mostly out of the headlines since it was revealed that he brokered a meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer who reportedly promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. Now, the president’s eldest son is taking another step away from his father’s administration, as the New York Times is reporting that Trump Jr. is electing to forgo protection by the Secret Service out of “privacy” concerns.
Trump Jr. continues to live in New York City where he oversees the Trump Organization, and the Times also points out that a factor in his decision may have something to do with the fact that he enjoys camping and hunting, which may be hampered by a team of security trailing him around. It’s also unclear at this point whether or not his decision extends to his wife Vanessa and the couple’s five children:
Like other members of his family, Mr. Trump’s personal and business travel — often to far-flung Trump properties and projects around the world — has triggered frequent criticism and careful documentation by Democrats and other watchdog groups. Those groups argue that taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for the agency’s highly trained agents to accompany the younger Mr. Trump. The size of the first family had forced the Secret Service to shift agents who would otherwise be working on criminal cases or investigations into protective duty.
Unrelated, the president’s counselor, Kellyanne Conway, will likewise no longer be receiving Secret Service protections. Trump approved her for protections after she received “several threats” early into his administration, but the threat level has since changed status.
(Via New York Times)