Former Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing to return to the public stage without the safety net of federal protection. On August 28, President Donald Trump ordered an end to her Secret Service detail, effective September 1, just weeks before the launch of her highly anticipated memoir tour for 107 Days.
By law, former vice presidents only receive six months of Secret Service coverage after leaving office. President Biden quietly granted Harris an additional year of protection before leaving the White House, a courtesy extension that presidents typically uphold. Trump, however, revoked it — a move critics call unprecedented and politically motivated.
Harris’s tour kicks off September 24 with stops planned in New York, Los Angeles, and potentially overseas. Without federal security, she loses not just bodyguards but also advanced threat monitoring and secure travel arrangements. Her team has confirmed they are arranging private security, but the shift highlights new risks and challenges for a figure still in the national spotlight.
Political leaders including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blasted the decision as “reckless and unnecessary.” Observers note that Trump has previously stripped extended security from rivals and critics, including John Bolton and members of the Biden family.
The decision is also sparking speculation about Harris’s future. Many view her as a potential 2028 presidential contender, making her security vulnerabilities all the more pressing. While Trump is legally within his rights — the six-month coverage limit is set by federal law — the act of actively cutting off protection before a major public tour marks a sharp departure from precedent.
The fallout is significant: Harris faces heightened risks at public events, a costly reliance on private protection, and the symbolism of a former vice president losing federal coverage in a public and politically charged way.
Trump’s decision underscores how even matters of basic security are being reshaped by partisan conflict — and leaves Harris navigating her next chapter without the shield of the Secret Service.
