Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Won’t Get Security Protection Paid For By The U.S., Donald Trump Says

President Donald Trump stated on Facebook earlier today that the United States would not cover the security costs of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to step down from their royal positions on March 31.

“I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom,” Trump began in a Facebook post.

“It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!” he concluded.

The position appeared to be a popular one with his followers, and the statement earned more than 30,000 likes within 10 minutes of posting.

“[It’s] not our responsibility to pay for protection. They have money and can pay their own,” one user wrote.

“I’m right there with you Mr. President. They wanted to be private citizens so now let them pay for their own security,” added a second.

Other commenters suggested that the decision was unsurprising, considering both the economic downturn facing the United States due to the coronavirus crisis and the fact that both Harry and Meghan had previously voiced their criticism of the president.

Back in 2016, Meghan slammed then-candidate Trump while on an appearance on The Nightly Show with Larry Whitmore. In addition, friends of the former Suits actress had said as recently as this January that the duchess would not move to Los Angeles until Trump was no longer in office (via Page Six).

More recently, Prince Harry was recorded in a prank phone call with two Russian pranksters he believed were eco-activist Greta Thunberg and her father. During the call, he claimed that Trump had “blood on his hands” because of his support of the coal industry, per Newsweek.

As was previously reported by The Inquisitr, the duke and duchess decided to leave their rented Vancouver home for Meghan’s hometown of Los Angeles before the border closed between the two nations for all non-essential travel.

Many had been surprised by the move, as the couple had originally claimed that they hoped to retain their Commonwealth ties despite stepping down from the royal family. Canada remains part of the Commonwealth, while the United States is not.

Moreover, other royal fans expressed their confusion that Harry and Meghan would move to Los Angeles — one of the biggest hotspots of the coronavirus in the world — after leaving their 10-month-old son Archie in Canada during their farewell tour in the United Kingdom due to their fears about the disease.

It remains unknown who will pay for Harry and Meghan’s security, though many suspect the task will fall to the taxpayers of the United Kingdom.