Ponder This

When President Harry Truman left office in 1953, he and his wife Bess drove themselves home to Missouri. They didn’t ride Air Force One and they didn’t have Secret Service Protection for life. Of course, as the last honest Democrat President who didn’t get rich while in office, he expected nothing of which every Democrat President since feels entitled to.

“Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I'll show you a crook.”

In 1958, Congress passed the Former President Protection Act which provided for lifetime Secret Service security protection for former presidents. In 1994, the Act was amended so that protection extended for only 10 years after leaving office. Then in 2012, during the Obama administration, the Act was again amended to restore lifetime coverage for the president, his wife and coverage for children until they reached the age of 16.

“Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I'll show you a crook.” ~ Harry S. Truman

Before presidents left office as multi-millionaires, Secret Service protection might have made sense. However, in 2025 every living president and some of their wives have managed to become multi-millionaires due to their time in office. Some of them became millionaires through improper use of their office (corruption). Does it make sense for taxpayers to be footing the bill for the excessively expensive Secret Service level of protection for people who can clearly fund their own security to whatever level they wish? Does it make sense for American taxpayers to fund protection for those whose unethical activities are, in all likelihood, continuing their corrupt behavior?

Would it be unreasonable to have some kind of means testing to determine if the taxpayers should have to support these multi-millionaires? In any case; is lifetime protection for the former president and his wife necessary beyond 10 years? Is there potential that the Secret Service is providing security for ongoing criminal activities? Based on Harry Truman’s stated opinion, is there any doubt that every living former president enhanced their personal financial condition while in office?

The best information I could find indicates that the taxpayer is funding each former president at the cost of 1.5 million dollars per year and an additional 0.75 million dollars for their spouse for Secret Service security. Is this really necessary when they are earning millions of dollars every year on the speaker’s circuit? Free taxpayer security just doesn’t seem right.