When former Vice President Kamala Harris steps onto the stage for her upcoming book tour, she’ll be surrounded not by the familiar faces of the U.S. Secret Service, but by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. The abrupt change in her security detail, set in motion by a directive from President Donald Trump, has ignited political controversy and raised questions about the politicization of personal safety for former high-ranking officials.
On September 1, 2025, Trump’s order to end Secret Service protection for Harris officially took effect, according to multiple sources including Los Angeles Magazine and NBC News. This move rescinded an executive order signed by President Biden in early January, which had extended Harris’s protection to 18 months after her term ended. By law, former vice presidents are guaranteed six months of Secret Service coverage following their departure from office, but Biden’s directive was meant to grant Harris a longer window, citing heightened political tensions and recent precedent.
Harris’s legally mandated six months of protection expired on July 21, 2025. However, as tensions in American politics have escalated in the past few years, it’s become more common for vice presidents to receive extended protection. The Biden administration’s extension reflected this trend, but Trump’s return to office brought a swift reversal. According to two senior Department of Homeland Security officials, Trump ordered South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to formally rescind Harris’s Secret Service protection through an executive order that amended Biden’s earlier directive.
The Secret Service itself conducted a threat assessment on Harris and, as reported by a White House official to NBC News, found "no red flags or credible evidence of a threat to the former vice president." This assessment underpinned the administration’s decision not to extend Harris’s protection beyond the standard six months. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the administration found no reason for special treatment in Harris’s case.
The executive memorandum ending Harris’s security detail was issued on Thursday, September 4, 2025, with the termination effective the following Monday. The timing of the decision is notable, coming just as Harris prepares to embark on a 15-stop book tour for her memoir, 107 Days, which chronicles what is now recognized as the shortest presidential campaign in U.S. history. The tour, which includes international stops in London and Toronto, begins on September 24, 2025, just one day after the book’s release.
In response to the sudden change in Harris’s security status, the Los Angeles Police Department has mobilized as many as 14 officers from its Metropolitan Division to provide immediate protection, pulling them from ongoing active cases. The California Highway Patrol has also offered to assist, though such an arrangement requires formal approval from Governor Gavin Newsom. LAPD spokeswoman Jennifer Forkish explained the agency’s role in a statement to NBC News: "The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is assisting the CHP in providing protective services for former Vice President Kamala Harris until an alternate plan is established. This temporary coordinated effort is in place to ensure that there is no lapse in security."
The local response has been swift and sharply divided. Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass didn’t mince words in her criticism of Trump’s decision, telling Fox 11, "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." Bass has reportedly been in direct contact with Governor Newsom about the situation, and both have pledged to do what it takes to ensure Harris’s safety.
But not everyone in Los Angeles is on board with the city’s response. The LA Police Protective League, which represents rank-and-file officers, issued a scathing statement decrying the diversion of resources: "Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi-millionaire, with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security, is nuts. The mayor should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness."
This debate highlights the broader political context of Trump’s decision. During his second term, Trump has made a habit of revoking security protections for political adversaries and those who have fallen out of favor, including former National Security Adviser John Bolton and members of the Biden family. While outgoing presidents have the authority to extend Secret Service protection for individuals who might not otherwise qualify, Trump’s use of this power has been notably selective. For comparison, Trump’s own first-term vice president, Mike Pence, did not receive extended protection beyond the standard six months.
Security experts warn that the discontinuation of protection for high-profile figures like Harris is risky in today’s polarized climate. The U.S. has seen a surge in political violence and threats against public officials in recent years. Last year, Trump himself survived two assassination attempts, and the Secret Service’s actions during a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, were widely credited with saving his life. That incident left one attendee dead, two wounded, and Trump with a grazed ear. In the aftermath, Trump appointed Sean Curran, one of the agents who shielded him on stage, to lead the Secret Service.
Still, the Secret Service’s recent assessment found no credible threats to Harris, and the agency’s decision to comply with Trump’s directive reflects standard procedure when no extraordinary danger is detected. Yet, as history shows, the risk calculus for political figures can change rapidly, and critics argue that continuity of protection is essential, especially for someone like Harris, who remains a prominent national figure and a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
Harris, who resides in the Los Angeles area, has worn many hats: former senator, California attorney general, San Francisco district attorney, and now author. While she lost to Trump in the last election and has announced she won’t run for California governor in 2026, her political future remains the subject of speculation. Her memoir, 107 Days, is expected to offer an insider’s account of her whirlwind presidential campaign and the tumultuous months that followed.
As Harris’s book tour kicks off, the debate over her security detail is unlikely to subside. For now, local law enforcement and state agencies are stepping in to fill the gap left by the Secret Service’s departure, even as city officials, police unions, and political leaders spar over who should bear the cost—and the responsibility—of keeping a former vice president safe in a divided America.
Whether this episode will set a new precedent for the treatment of former officeholders or simply mark another chapter in the nation’s ongoing political drama remains to be seen. But for Harris, the show—and the scrutiny—goes on.
