Government officials say that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos requires additional security detail because of a threat to her safety and that it may cost up to $7.8 million through September to protect her.
The U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement this month that a threat assessment was conducted in February, and DeVos was put under additional protection. The statement did not provide details on the threat or the number of personnel assigned to her.
The agency said it will be reimbursed $7.78 million from the Department of Education. The move comes amid a proposal by the Trump administration to cut the department’s budget by 13 percent.
The evaluation of DeVos’ safety took place after a protester briefly blocked her from entering a public school in the nation’s capital.