1776Reporting
Hunter Biden slipped away to South Africa last week for a lavish getaway, complete with round-the-clock Secret Service protection. The timing? Conveniently right before he was supposed to face a grueling deposition in a California lawsuit.
A California District Court judge dismissed the case on Thursday after Hunter claimed he was too broke to keep up the legal battle against Garrett Ziegler, a former Trump staffer, and his nonprofit, Marco Polo. But evidence suggests Hunter had already settled into his South African escape before the ruling even came down.
Photographs confirm that Hunter was in Cape Town on the very day the case was dismissed, lounging in a $500-a-night beachfront villa. The property, according to its listing, is an “ultra-luxurious designer home with spectacular 180-degree unobstructed views of the sea.”
Ziegler’s legal team believes Hunter strategically fled to South Africa to dodge the court-ordered deposition, which had already been delayed from February.
“He was in South Africa before the judge even decided the case,” Ziegler pointed out. “That means he is assuming his daddy’s appointee is gonna rubber stamp what he wants.”
Hunter and his South African-born wife, Melissa Cohen, were later spotted strolling through Cape Town’s elite shopping district, surrounded by Secret Service agents. Independent journalist Laura Loomer provided The Post with images of their outing.
Legal Costs and Special Protection
Ziegler now plans to use these images in his upcoming court filing, demanding $200,000 in legal costs. The expenses stem from Hunter’s lawsuit against Marco Polo over its digitized publication of his infamous “laptop from hell.”
Despite being 55 years old and legally unqualified for taxpayer-funded Secret Service protection, Hunter continues to receive special treatment. Under federal law, only former presidents’ children under the age of 16 are eligible for such security. However, Trump-era sources claim President Biden signed an executive memorandum before leaving office to extend Secret Service protection for his son indefinitely.
Rising Costs and Public Outrage
While the Secret Service refused to disclose exact details, spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that Hunter remains an authorized protectee.
“Our agents are trained, authorized, and mandated by federal law to provide security anywhere in the world for individuals under our protection,” Guglielmi stated.
However, Loomer’s sources in South Africa report that Hunter traveled with an 18-agent security team. The detail allegedly consists of three shifts of four agents plus six backups. They are staying at a nearby four-star hotel, receiving per-diem allowances for meals, and renting two vehicles. The cost? An estimated half-million dollars—at a time when the Secret Service budget is already under strain.
This special treatment has sparked outrage, especially considering past scrutiny over Trump’s decision to extend Secret Service protection to his four adult children for six months after leaving office. Democrats and mainstream media attacked the move, citing its estimated $1.7 million cost. Yet, Hunter’s prolonged protection seems to have evaded similar scrutiny.
Hunter’s Financial Woes Questioned
Ziegler argues that Hunter’s special protection “should be revoked because Hunter was not completely honest with the court.”
Hunter’s legal team has gone on the defensive, slamming Ziegler’s attorney, Jennifer Holliday, as “despicable” for questioning his claims of financial hardship.
In court filings, Hunter’s lawyers argued he could no longer afford his legal fees, citing a collapse in his art sales and damage to his California home from wildfires.
Despite his financial claims, Hunter’s South African retreat, paired with taxpayer-funded protection, raises serious questions—ones he may not be able to avoid much longer.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings