Secret Service Has Run Out of Money to Pay Agents to Protect Trump and His 18 Family Members

Numerous International Trips and Golf Cart Rentals

The U.S. Secret Service is mandated by law to protect the president and his or her family members no matter where in the world they choose to travel, but already the federal law enforcement agency has run out of funds to pay 1000 agents who work the First Family’s detail. International trips by Trump’s sons and daughters as well as the president’s weekly trips to his golf courses have tapped out the agency’s budget, according to an exclusive report in USA Today.

Citing “the sheer size of President Trump’s family and efforts necessary to secure their multiple residences up and down the East Coast,” USA Today reports “1,000 agents have already hit the federally mandated caps for salary and overtime allowances that were meant to last the entire year,” according to Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles.

“Alles said the service is grappling with an unprecedented number of White House protectees. Under Trump, 42 people have protection, a number that includes 18 members of his family. That’s up from 31 during the Obama administration,” the paper reports.

“Overwork and constant travel have also been driving a recent exodus from the Secret Service ranks, yet without congressional intervention to provide additional funding, Alles will not even be able to pay agents for the work they have already done.” 

Even if Congress provides additional funds, “about 130 veteran agents would not be fully compensated for hundreds of hours already amassed, according to the agency.”

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) says she is “committed to working with my colleagues on both sides” to ensure “the men and women who put their lives on the line protecting the president, his family and others every day are getting paid fairly for their work.” McCaskill is the Ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Without some legislative relief, though, at least 1,100 agents – for now – would not be eligible for overtime even as one of the agency’s largest protective assignments looms next month. Nearly 150 foreign heads of state are expected to converge on New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. 

USA Today detailed just some of the strains on the Secret Service budget.

Always costly in manpower and equipment, the president’s jaunts to Mar-a-Lago are estimated to cost at least $3 million each, based on a General Accounting Office estimate for similar travel by former President Obama. The Secret Service has spent some $60,000 on golf cart rentals alone this year to protect Trump at both Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster. 

The president, First Lady Melania Trump and the couple’s youngest son Barron – who maintained a separate detail in Trump Tower until June – aren’t the only ones on the move with full-time security details in tow.

Trump’s other sons, Trump Organization executives Donald Jr. and Eric, based in New York, also are covered by security details, including when they travel frequently to promote Trump-branded properties in other countries.

A few examples: Earlier this year, Eric Trump’s business travel to Uruguay cost the Secret Service nearly $100,000 just for hotel rooms. Other trips included the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic. In February, both sons and their security details traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia, for the opening of new Trump hotel there, and to Dubai to officially open a Trump International Golf Club.

In March, security details accompanied part of the family, including Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner on a skiing vacation in Aspen, Colo. Even Tiffany Trump, the president’s younger daughter, took vacations with her boyfriend to international locales such as Germany and Hungary, which also require Secret Service protection. 

The Trump family, including the President, have shown no interest in curtailing their activities. 

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