Well, this is awkward. The people literally assigned to take a bullet for Vice President JD Vance are apparently running to reporters to complain about him instead. As The American Tribune reported, agents on Vance's protective detail have been spilling grievances to the press, citing frustrations with his travel habits and schedule changes. Nothing says "I've got your back" quite like anonymously trashing your protectee to journalists.
The whole drama kicked off over a planned helicopter trip for Vance and his son to Joint Base Andrews for a golf lesson. Agents reportedly griped about what they considered inappropriate or unprecedented use of government resources to shuttle an elementary schooler around. Mother Nature ended up canceling the outing anyway because of bad weather, but the complaints had already flown the coop.
Here's where it gets entertaining. An administration official pointed out that flying Marine Two from the Naval Observatory to Joint Base Andrews is literally the most common, routine flight that helicopter makes. The golf trip was planned at a secure military base specifically so they wouldn't have to shut down public roads or close a civilian golf course. Using the chopper would have actually saved resources for local cops and spared thousands of drivers from sitting in motorcade traffic. So the "wasteful" helicopter ride was actually the budget friendly option. Funny how that detail got buried.
One anonymous source told reporters that neither Mike Pence nor Kamala Harris "ever pulled anything like that," which is a pretty bold claim considering neither of them had small children running around the Naval Observatory. Another leaker complained that the Vance family constantly changes their schedules, costing, and I'm quoting directly here, "sh*t-tons of taxpayer money." Very professional language from our elite protective force.
The agents also apparently tattled about Vance making several last minute trips to Middleburg, Virginia, where rumors suggest he's house hunting. That town sits roughly 45 minutes outside Washington. Administration officials explained those helicopter trips were made for both security and operational reasons, once again saving local police departments money and keeping the public from dealing with road closures.
A Trump administration official offered some much needed context to The Daily Caller, noting that diplomatic obligations and matters of state frequently pop up without warning and must take priority. The official added that agents sometimes lack the bigger picture when sudden changes occur. Vance has reportedly been far more active diplomatically than his predecessors, which naturally creates more schedule chaos for his security team.
Second Lady Usha Vance weighed in during a CBS News interview, explaining that motorcades create real headaches for regular people, shutting down streets and forcing churchgoers through magnetometers. She said the family actively tries to minimize those disruptions.
So let me get this straight. The vice president's bodyguards are mad that he uses helicopters instead of motorcades, changes plans because of diplomacy, and has young kids. Sounds like these agents need a transfer to guarding someone with a more predictable lifestyle. Might I suggest a retired senator who never leaves the house?
Read more American news stories at: The American Tribune
