We won’t pay Sussexes’ security, warns Trump
Donald Trump has reignited the row over who should pay for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security amid reports that the couple had moved to the US. The president stated on Twitter: “I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the US. However, the US will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!”
DONALD TRUMP has reignited the row over who should pay to provide security for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex amid reports that the couple had moved from Canada to the US.
The president wrote on Twitter: “I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen and the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the US. However, the US will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!”
According to the Duke and Duchess’s spokesman, they have made “privately funded security arrangements” following their move to California.
“The [couple] have no plans to ask the US government for security resources,” the spokesman said.
The row over who should foot the bill for the couple’s security since they stepped back from royal duties has been simmering for several months.
In January, Justin Trudeau, the Canadian
prime minister, said his country would ensure that the couple and Archie, their baby son, would be protected while they lived there.
That caused some anger, with protests being led by Aaron Wudrick, director of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation. However, the arrangement was always regarded as a temporary one, set to expire at the end of March.
Last week, it was reported that they had moved from Vancouver Island to Los Angeles, where they would be closer to the Duchess’s family.
As a US citizen’s spouse, the Duke is entitled to apply for a green card that would give him residency status.
Although Mr Trump has taken a tough line on green cards, experts believe the Duke would face few problems. Matteo Carrera, an immigration law researcher for Cardozo Law School in New York, said the Duke would probably be classified as a British diplomat, entering the US on an A1 visa.
“With this, he would have been able to enter the US and then adjust his status to a green card,” he said.
Normally, anyone applying to adjust their status from a visa to a green card must pay heed to the “primary purpose” rule. This outlaws somebody entering the country on a visa when their intention is to settle permanently.