Vice President JD Vance sought to use a military helicopter to carry himself and his son from the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory to Joint Base Andrews for the boy's golf lesson, MS NOW reported on July 15, 2026, one of a string of travel requests that has left his Secret Service detail, in the outlet's word, “fed up.” The Marine Two flight was canceled because of weather, but agents discussed the request among themselves unhappily, according to the report. One person who heard about the plan wrote in a message obtained by MS NOW, “That is RIDICULOUS,” adding, “Pence and Harris never pulled anything like that.”
Military helicopters can cost tens of thousands of dollars an hour to operate, and past vice presidents have had agents drive their children to activities, The Independent noted. The golf-lesson request sat inside a broader pattern of last-minute “off the record” movements that has reportedly driven anger and low morale inside the detail. “The detail is tired of them not giving notice on things and making everything an OTR,” a source familiar with the mood told MS NOW. “He thinks he can still move around like a U.S. Senator.”
The vice president's office did not address the specifics. A spokesperson said the Vances are “grateful to the men and women of the U.S. Secret Service,” and that protecting a vice president “with a large policy portfolio and a young and growing family presents a unique challenge.” An administration official defended the planned flight as a familiar route that would avoid traffic and let the family spend time in a secure environment, and said Vance has not demanded special treatment. The account of agents' frustration rests on unnamed current and former Secret Service personnel (see Hegseth Takes Kid Rock for a Ride in an AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter at Fort Belvoir, Weeks After Lifting the Suspensions of Pilots Who Flew by the Singer's Home).
Update (October 2, 2026): On July 23, the Secret Service said a member of Vance's security detail faced an internal investigation and a potential criminal inquiry over allegations of compromised “operational and information security” tied to the MS NOW report. A spokesperson said “any conduct that potentially threatens the safety of a protectee will not be tolerated.”
Correction (October 2, 2026): This entry said the vice president's office did not dispute the specifics. His office issued a statement that did not address them, and an administration official defended the planned flight; the entry now reports both responses.