California Highway Patrol to Protect Kamala Harris After Trump Pulls Security Detail
By Bo Tefu | California Black Media
Former Vice President Kamala Harris will receive protection from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) after President Trump revoked her extended Secret Service detail, law enforcement sources said on Aug. 29.
Trump signed a memorandum on Aug. 28, ending Harris’ federal protection effective Sept. 1. Normally, former vice presidents receive coverage for six months after leaving office, while ex-presidents are protected for life. In January 2025, then-President Joe Biden extended Harris’ protection through July 2026 at her aides’ request. Without the order, her detail would have ended in July.
California officials quickly arranged for CHP to provide dignitary protection. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office would not confirm the plan. “Our office does not comment on security arrangements,” spokesperson Izzy Gardon said. “The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was more direct, calling Trump’s move “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.”
The change comes as Harris prepares for a 15-city international book tour promoting her memoir, “107 Days.” Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president, has faced heightened security threats, though a recent Secret Service review found no credible threats.
