Why Secret Service Agents Are Reportedly Frustrated With JD Vance’s Travel Schedule?

Secret Service agents assigned to protect Vice President JD Vance are reportedly growing frustrated with frequent last-minute travel requests and schedule changes, with morale within the protective detail said to have taken a serious hit. According to a report by MS Now, one incident that particularly angered agents involved a proposal to fly Vance and his young son across Washington aboard Marine Two for a golf lesson. The trip was ultimately cancelled due to bad weather, but the request itself reportedly left many agents stunned.

Golf Lesson Flight Sparks Anger

"That is RIDICULOUS," one person reportedly said in a private message. "[Mike] Pence and [Kamala] Harris never pulled anything like that."

Another person reportedly complained, "They change everything. They don't stick to their schedules, and that costs s***-tons of taxpayer money." JD Vance's Viral India-Pakistan Remark: Why He Called His Wife and Asim Munir the Most Important People in His Life (Watch).

The report noted that using Marine Two for such a trip would have required approval from the White House Military Office. Based on 2022 Pentagon budget estimates, operating the helicopter costs taxpayers between USD 16,000 and USD 24,600 per hour. Sources said there is no formal rule against using a government helicopter for such travel, but the request had "no precedent."

House-Hunting Trips Add To Frustrations

The report also claims Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance made multiple helicopter trips to Middleburg, Virginia, while house-hunting. The couple have three children, aged nine, six and four, and are expecting a fourth. 'Meet Your Next Director of the Federal Budget': JD Vance's Viral Joke After Usha Vance Reveals USD 8.75 Dress Receipt.

A source told MS Now, "The detail is tired of them not giving notice on things and making everything an OTR [off the record]," adding, "[Vance] thinks he can still move around like a US senator."

Agents Reportedly Made Satirical Stickers

Frustration within the detail has reportedly grown widespread enough that some agents designed unofficial challenge coins and stickers mocking the situation. One sticker, featuring a bobcat, a reference to Vance's Secret Service code name, reads "TBD, TBD" with the tagline "Advance. OTR. Repeat." Another, styled like a sheriff's badge, says, "Bobcat OTR Survivors Club."

Vance's Office And Secret Service Respond

A spokesperson for Vice President Vance rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing, telling The Independent, "The Vances are grateful to the men and women of the US Secret Service who serve our country with distinction." The spokesperson added, "While protecting a Vice President with a large policy portfolio and a young and growing family presents a unique challenge, agents of the Secret Service do so with excellence every day."

Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn also defended the agency, saying, "When US Secret Service Special Agents choose to join a protective detail, they understand the commitment required: long hours, frequent travel, and the need for constant flexibility." He continued, "Nights, weekends, and holidays are part of the job. Our agents work tirelessly to ensure protectees' safety and security, while also preserving normalcy to the extent possible." Quinn added, "We are committed to supporting our personnel, which requires around the clock dedication and discipline. This is a job that requires absolute dedication and discipline."

Journalist Calls Complaints A 'Red Alarm'

Speaking on MS Now's TV programme, journalist Carol Leonnig, who worked on the story, said complaints of this nature are unusual for the agency. "The Secret Service doesn't complain a lot," she said, adding, "When they're angry in this way, it's sort of a red alarm. They're an overworked, under-resourced agency." Leonnig said some agents even described the situation as providing "royal treatment," adding, "Some of them use the word 'royal treatment.' They're not used to providing royal treatment to the children of a vice president."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 18, 2026 10:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).