President Donald Trump just signed an executive order to terminate Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden, 55, and his half-sister, Ashley, 43. It marks the end of an era of bitter irony for U.S. taxpayers and the Secret Service -- both of which a shameless presidential son took advantage.

Secret Service protection for former presidents is detailed under the Former Presidents Act (FPA). The Act did not take effect until 1958, benefitting the only two living former presidents at the time -- Herbert Hoover and Harry S. Truman. Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first president to benefit from it immediately upon leaving the Oval Office.

The FPA originally provided for lifetime Secret Service protection for former presidents. But, in 1994, it was amended to provide only ten years protection for those inaugurated after January 1, 1997. Perhaps recognizing we were living in more dangerous times, effective in 2013, the Act returned to the lifelong protection commitment. 

The spouse of a former president is also entitled to lifelong Secret Service protection unless she remarries. Any child of a former president is entitled to protection "until they become 16 years of age." 

While Hunter and Ashley were still receiving such protection two months after Joe Biden left office, it was due to his executing an executive order before stepping down to extend protection to older children for no more than six additional months. This was something other presidents had done before him.

But here is a bitter irony tied to the Hunter Biden boondoggle. 

Keeping in mind Hunter’s 24/7 security probably involved about 18 agents, necessitating they go wherever he went and that Hunter was making numerous international trips to collect paychecks for virtually no reason other than being the son of the vice president and later president, taxpayers were taking a major hit in financing his Secret Service force. This was true too when Biden was living a life of luxury in Malibu that mandated his security team rent very expensive property nearby.

Meanwhile, as taxpayers were footing Hunter’s tremendous Secret Service costs, he was receiving millions of dollars, it is estimated, which included $3.8 million from CEFC China Energy -- an oil and gas company linked to the Chinese Communist Party that ultimately went belly up -- and from Burisma Holdings. Hunter had begun working with CEFC when his father was vice president.

It presented the worst possible image for someone in Hunter’s position to open doors for China -- a country with national security interests far different from our own. 

After Biden became president, Hunter worked with another Chinese company linked to CEFC that sent $5 million to a joint venture created by the First Son and an associate. Joint ventures became a common feature used by Hunter to launder foreign funding. But, with Secret Service agents in tow, it was as if Hunter were in a room counting his money as they stood guard outside, providing him protection for which he was not even having to pay.

Trump’s timing on terminating Hunter’s Secret Service detail was perfect. Soon leaving for South Africa on vacation -- perhaps due to being overly exhausted from having counted all those foreign funds he received over the years -- providing Secret Service protection would have been extremely costly. 

It is a relief to know the undeserved Secret Service protection Hunter was extended by virtue of an executive order signed by his father before departing office has now come to an end. Hunter has learned that what his father’s executive order giveth, Trump’s executive order can taketh away.

Image: AT via Magic Studio