Former Vice President Kamala Harris has a new security detail, courtesy of the California Highway Patrol. The move comes as Trump continues to use his power to target political adversaries.
The reported new security arrangement comes just after President Trump cancelled Secret Service protection for Harris, his opponent in the 2024 presidential election. As Trump continues to target political rivals like Harris, officials within the state have stepped up to guarantee the vice president’s safety.
Newsom, Bass reportedly coordinate a new security detail for Harris
The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that the California Highway Patrol has come up with an arrangement to provide protection for Harris, who resides in Los Angeles. The reported security arrangement came one day after the Trump administration announced that it was ending the Secret Service detail for Harris. The exact details of the arrangement, including how long it will last, have not been made public, as the Secret Service, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department do not generally share such specific information about their operations.
The new security agreement was reportedly created in consultation with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. nd A spokesperson for Newsom said that “our office does not comment on security arrangements,” but added that “the safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.” A statement by Mayor Bass describes Trump’s decision to cancel Secret Service protection for Harris as “another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances and more.” Bass added that “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.”
Trump targeting political opponents
As Blavity previously reported, the Trump administration issued a letter on Thursday that cancelled Secret Service protection for Harris, effective September 1, 2025. Vice presidents typically retain a Secret Service detail for six months after leaving office, but President Biden granted Harris an additional year of protection, as allowed by federal law. Cancelling the extended protection for Harris appeared to many to be a vindictive act by Trump, especially as it comes weeks before Harris begins a multi-city tour to promote her new book, 107 Days, a memoir reflecting on her 2024 presidential campaign.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has used the power of the presidency to go after political opponents. In March, Trump cancelled Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden, the adult children of President Biden, breaking with tradition. Trump and other officials within his administration have made accusations of criminal wrongdoing against various figures, including Presidents Biden and Obama, as well as Federal Reserve Board governor Lisa Cook, whom Trump is attempting to fire based on an allegation of mortgage fraud made against Cook by one of Trump’s appointees. In addition to Harris, other California politicians have been targeted by Trump, including Mayor Bass, one of several Black women in positions of leadership who have been singled out by Trump. Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has been trolling the president with Trump-like posts on social media as part of a months-long feud between the governor and the president.
Now, Newsom and Bass appear to have worked together to protect Harris, even as all three continue to face the wrath of President Trump. For now, at least, an arrangement has been made to try and guarantee that Trump’s apparent vindictiveness does not compromise the safety of the former vice president as she prepares to tell the world more about her campaign against Trump.
