Since the question was shut down in a P&E thread, I’ll ask here for a factual answer. What law says former Presidents are not allowed to drive themselves on public roads? I looked up the 1958 Former Presidents Act, and I didn’t see it there. I did find news reports stating the fact, citing interviews with former Presidents (e.g., George W. Bush).
FQ: Where is the text of the law that prohibits former Presidents from driving themselves on public roads?
Sounds like a strong secret service preference and not an actual law.
“For the most part, the Secret Service’s preference would be to drive the former presidents at all times,” said Mickey Nelson, who retired in 2012 as the Secret Service assistant director of protective operations after 29 years in the service.
Link to P&E thread:
I don’t think it’s true, especially if the claim is that it dates from 1958. Because I’ve read many stories about LBJ driving visitors (reporters, dignitaries, etc.) around his Texas ranch during his presidency.
George W. Bush drove his truck around his property. The law – or ‘preference’? – seems to be specifically a ban on driving on public roads.
I could understand that the Secret Service would prefer not to have former presidents drive themselves but not that it’s somehow not allowed.
And Reagan drove his old Jeep on his Santa Barbara ranch.
Here’s a clip of Jay Leno with both George W. Bush and Joe Biden, and their driving. Bush says he hasn’t driven on a public road since 1993 (which would be even before he was elected governor of Texas!) and Biden specifically says the Secret Service won’t let him drive his Corvette.
I take that as “advised against, perhaps strongly.” As I understand it, they can’t prohibit him from doing anything he wants to do.
ETA: The Secret Service is charged with protecting his life, I assume a President is usually (always) going to follow their advice. They have a pretty unique relationship.
Exactly.
Ronald Reagan drove four-wheel drive Jeeps on his property in Santa Barbara, and George W. Bush drove a truck on his ranch in Texas. Barack Obama has driven a Chevy Volt twice-- once on the White House grounds and once after touring an assembly line. Oh, and he caused a commotion in 2014 when he was spotted driving a golf cart solo (Secret Service was not happy).
When Obama was on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, they had a bit about the Secret Service not letting Obama take the '63 Vette Jerry brought off the White House grounds.
Go to 17 min 21 sec.
Or what? They’ll arrest him?
They would probably just not let him get in. Even if that means physically blocking the door.
You think the Secret Service can’t or won’t push around the person they are protecting, if they believe it’s best for their safety? Did you forget the Jan 6 testimony talking about the Secret Service doing exactly that to Trump in not letting him go to the capitol building to join the rioters?
Remember, the Secret Service does not work for the person they protect, not directly in any event. They have other superiors. Now, if after the fact they are found to have been doing their jobs incorrectly, there would be consequences, but in the moment the person they’re protecting can’t fire them or anything. Even if it’s the current POTUS.
I think the Secret Service trying to keep the protectee in a real cocoon may have started after Reagan was shot at close range.
Of course the president, or former president, can drive if they insist. But maybe they guilt them into going with the program by saying that protection becomes more dangerous for the bodyguards when the protectee is uncooperative.
I’m not sure how there could be a law; you’d have to have 50+ of them, as driving regulations are not Federal.
Now the Secret Service being restrictive and pushy about it? That does seem plausible.
Nixon voluntarily dropped his Secret Service protection in 1985. So there’s no law requiring Presidents to keep their protection, so how could there be one preventing them driving a car?
The Secret Service is part of the Executive branch, which means that they literally do work for the President. As such, they are subject to the chain of command.
A great deal of their power stems from two factors: (1) the reluctance that a large number of people have to resist or contradict experts; (2) there are times when disregarding their advice would genuinely be dangerous. These two factors give them much more power than the law actually assigns to them.
That does not contradict anything I said. The POTUS is not their direct superior and they will ignore what the POTUS says if that is the best course to ensure safety. I even cited an infamous example of that happening.
As a result, President Biden’s Corvette is more of a static piece than a sun-soaked road tripper. Of course, some circumstances permit him to drive his beloved Corvette, like showing it off on “Jay Leno’s Garage.”
Link: 1967 Corvette Stingray: The Undriveable Highlight of Joe Biden's Car Collection
It doesn’t sounds like its a law, but a condition of receiving Secret Service protection.
If you are in prison, do you still receive Secret Service protection?