EPA chief Scott Pruitt hires bodyguards amid budget cuts

The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect Americans from toxic chemicals and dangerous air and water pollution. But EPA Administrator Pruitt is more concerned about his own personal protection. Indeed, as the Trump administration seeks deep cuts to the agency’s budget, Pruitt is seeking extra funding for an around-the-clock security detail—something never before provided or even sought by any previous federal agency head. The administration wants to shrink the EPA’s budget by more than 30 percent by eliminating nearly 60 programs and thousands of staff positions that help protect the public. Pruitt’s response? Hire me some bodyguards.