Former U.S. presidents are authorized a security detail from the Secret Service for life. If Trump loses the election and flees the country, does his security detail have to go with him if he requests it?
I imagine this could go down in a variety of ways: He departs the U.S. before he’s sentenced and just never returns, or he attempts to flees or does flees the U.S. after his sentencing. Either way, what happens to his security detail?
If he attempts to flees after he’s sentenced, I would hope the detail would refuse to take part in it (if he can even board a plane/leave the country to begin with), but given all their failings, who knows.
The USSS would not have any obligation to a former president that is a fugitive from law.
As individuals they could abandon their service, which has serious legal remifications, and follow Trump of their own choice. I doubt any would do that because why they became USSS and how badly it would ruin their lives.
So I looked into the USSS, and here from their FAQ: "Under Title 18, Section 3056, of the United States Code, agents and officers of the United States Secret Service can:
Carry firearms
Execute warrants issued under the laws of the United States
Make arrests without warrants for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony recognizable under the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed such felony
Offer and pay rewards for services and information leading to the apprehension of persons involved in the violation of the law that the Secret Service is authorized to enforce
Investigate fraud in connection with identification documents, fraudulent commerce, fictitious instruments and foreign securities and
Perform other functions and duties authorized by law"
This leads me to wonder just how many times a SS Agent witnessed Trump committing a felony in their presence but didn’t arrest him.
They have no obligation to enforce the law, just as a patrol cop does not need to pull you over for speeding. There also is having to be the guy that arrests Trump and the response that would bring you.
More to the point, if there is a warrant issued for his arrest, his secret service detail would need to arrest him.
They have no obligation to enforce the law, just as a patrol cop does not have to pull you over for speeding.
I’m pretty sure the options would be to arrest him or be fired for insubordination.
The protection detail would not arrest him. The agency with the warrant would coordinate with the secret service to either get access to Trump or, more likely, give Trump the opportunity to surrender.
There’s a massive difference between watching someone commit arson and watching a document get delivered that turns everything into a RICO case. You’d never know unless you knew the business details.
Maybe Trump could escape the US by hiding in a box disguised as “music equipment” (https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57760993). Then the USSS wouldn’t have to accompany him.
He is more of a fan of his wife dying and hiding things in the coffin.
Melania falls down the stairs and he has her casket sent to her homeland of Slovenia or burial, which is quite the convenient place for him to find himself.
Maybe he could ensemble some sympathisers?