Secret Service agents chafe at JD Vance’s travel demands

The friction centers on the use of Marine Two for personal errands, including a proposed flight for Vance and his son to attend a golf lesson. While no formal rule prohibits using government aircraft for such travel, the request drew sharp criticism from security personnel who noted that such trips require approval from the White House Military Office and incur costs between $16,000 and $24,600 per hour. Sources within the agency told MS Now that the request lacked precedent and highlighted a broader issue: the Vice President’s perceived inability to adjust his habits from those of a senator to the more rigid requirements of executive protection.

Discontent has reached a point where some agents have created satirical stickers and challenge coins mocking the constant uncertainty of the detail. These items reference Vance’s code name, "Bobcat," and lampoon the recurring cycle of "Advance, OTR, Repeat." Journalist Carol Leonnig, who reported on the situation, noted that such open dissatisfaction is a "red alarm" for an agency typically known for its silence. While the Vice President’s office maintains that the Vances are grateful for their security and that the family’s size and schedule present unique logistical hurdles, agents continue to characterize the demands as an unprecedented "royal treatment" that strains an already overstretched workforce.