Here’s a question: Why does an administration which prides itself on “America First!” allow Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to take the American taxpayer for a ride?
On this issue at least, Canada’s liberal prime minister is the one who is putting Canada first. I say this in the context of Canada’s announcement on Thursday that it will no longer pay for protecting the un-royal-by-choice couple.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have relocated to Canada on a part-time basis following their decision to abandon most duties for the British royal family. And up until now, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the law enforcement agency responsible for Canadian protective services, has been supporting the couple’s protection alongside its British counterpart.
The cost announcement suggests that Britain will either have to compensate Canada for its continued security provision or provide its own protection officers.
Canada is right. The costs here are significant, involving logistics, accommodation for protection teams, salaries for the multiple shifts required on a 24-hour basis, equipment such as armored vehicles, and a surveillance and monitoring post. Even more important, the royal couple can hardly now be regarded in the same light as their other royal counterparts and foreign government officials. They have decided, after all, to step back from royal duties and pursue a life of private jet adventures and highly paid speaking gigs.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration lacks Canada’s courage on this issue. I am told that the Diplomatic Security Service, the State Department arm responsible for protecting foreign VIPs below the rank of head of state, provided protection for Harry and Meghan on a trip to a JPMorgan summit in Miami earlier this month. That trip apparently came with a rather nice $500,000 appearance paycheck for the royal couple, and you, dear taxpayer, helped make it possible.
This Miami trip alone likely cost the U.S. taxpayer tens of thousands of dollars. Adding to the complication here is the fact that Britain’s Metropolitan Police Protection Command, responsible for protecting the royal family, takes advantage of U.S. security resources so as to offset its own costs. This fits with its unfortunate and dangerous tradition of underresourcing protective operations.
When I reached out to the DSS and the State Department press office, two separate State officials refused to comment on the Miami visit. This, both spokespersons said, is because “in keeping with longstanding security practice, we do not discuss details of our protective operations.”
Sorry, but that’s a garbage excuse. Of course the DSS does not comment on active protection missions, but it regularly advertises its protection of foreign dignitaries after their visits conclude. The DSS has even posted photos of its special agents protecting Prince Harry!
I suspect that the Trump administration is trying to avoid media scrutiny of taxpayer costs entailed in protection of the two prima donnas (as the Sun reports, they appear to have been using their protection team for shopping runs at organic delicatessens).
The Trump administration’s indulgence of their behavior should end. It’s one thing to provide temporary protection for visiting foreign government officials on official business. It is altogether another thing to subsidize Harry and Meghan’s money-earning jaunts.
If Harry and Meghan want to make frequent trips here or even live in the United States, we should welcome them and do it without paying for their security.
