VP Vance's travel requests strain Secret Service morale

Vice President JD Vance’s frequent, last-minute travel requests, including a plan to use a military helicopter to take his son to a golf lesson, have reportedly created significant friction and low morale within his Secret Service detail, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The specific incident occurred last Thursday, July 9, 2026, when agents prepared for a planned trip aboard Marine Two, the official helicopter that carries the vice president. The flight was intended to transport Vance and his elementary school-aged son from the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory to the golf center at Joint Base Andrews. The trip was canceled at the last minute due to severe thunderstorms and high winds in the Washington, D.C., area.

Sources describe the request as unprecedented in recent memory. While there is no formal Secret Service policy prohibiting such use, current and former supervisors said prior vice presidents, including Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, eschewed using the expensive aircraft for their children’s local activities, instead relying on Secret Service-driven SUVs. Operating the Marine Corps helicopter costs taxpayers between $16,000 and...