The ideological left's bitter hatred and contempt for President Donald Trump runs deep and extends to not just him but also to members of his immediate family and even his millions of supporters.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that Barron Trump, the president's youngest son, has been confirmed as a recipient of a protective security detail from the U.S. Secret Service, Fox News reported.

Barron, accompanied by a contingent of Secret Service agents, was recently spotted by media photographers on the campus of New York University, where he is a first-year student at the Stern School of Business, for the first time since his father's inauguration.

Presidential children receive Secret Service protection

It had been rumored for months that Barron Trump was receiving Secret Service protection while attending college in New York City, but the recent photos that confirmed as much were not particularly surprising.

That is because Secret Service protection is just one of the many perks enjoyed by the children of a sitting president, and occasionally even former presidents, at least for a time, according to Business Insider.

To be sure, the children of a sitting president receive "around-the-clock" protection from the Secret Service while their presidential parent is in office, and for young children, that protection continues after their parent has left office until they turn 16. That said, an ex-president can petition their successor for an extension of Secret Service protection for their spouse and kids after leaving the White House, which President Trump did for an additional six months after the conclusion of his first term in 2021.

In this case, rather uniquely so, Barron reportedly was receiving Secret Service protection when he began attending NYU in September, before his father was re-elected, though that may have simply been a standard part of the protective package the Trump family received as a result of the former president's candidacy.

Protecting a president's child at college

The Independent reported in September that Barron Trump had begun his college career at NYU's campus with a plainclothes Secret Service detail in tow, which likely complicates his college experience but is almost certainly necessary to keep him safe from potential harm.

The outlet spoke to former Secret Service agent Paul Eckloff, who served under former Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, about what it is like for agents to guard the teenage children of presidents, particularly in a school setting.

Eckloff said the primary goal of agents on such assignments was "to impair the college experience as little as possible while providing the strongest security environment that you can," which he himself experienced to an extent while protecting Bush's twin daughters, Obama's two daughters, and Trump's youngest son and grandchildren.

What does the job entail?

In his interview with The Independent, Eckloff expressed his concerns about how the increased prevalence of social media has made the job of a Secret Service protective detail more difficult and raised the risks of something bad happening on their watch.

"The Secret Service has to monitor [social media]," he said. "Let’s say that a president’s child is at a party and someone tweets out their picture. Now, their location is broadcast on social media, and they could become a target. That can endanger everybody," and added, "The general threat environment that we face in the 21st century is greater than it has ever been. People’s location and activities tend to be more publicly known, and social media is more reactive."

As for how the agents do their job, Eckloff said they often rely on remote sensors and alarms in addition to "protective surveillance," in which they are always "close and watching and waiting to respond" if necessary. Those agents also typically "plan to fail," meaning that "Planning to fail is where the Secret Service wins. They have contingency plans in place for when things break down."

"They have to be innovative in how they achieve the protection. You can’t secure the entire dorm, it’s just not realistic," the former agent said. "Many kids are experiencing an independent life for the first time, and having Secret Service can hamper that," and added, "They’re sensitive to it, but they have a job, and it’s critically important. I think you’d rather have your college experience impacted a little than be kidnapped."