Rehoboth Beach is no longer a presidential retreat

Rehoboth Beach – the Nation’s Summer Capital – has enjoyed the international spotlight for the past four years while it served as presidential retreat for former President Joe Biden. With the Jan. 20 swearing in of now President Donald Trump, that time has come to a close.

Biden purchased a home in the North Shores community in 2017, after his two terms as vice president. A couple of years later, in August 2019, he held one of his first fundraising campaigns at a home on Norfolk Street in Rehoboth Beach. Biden’s last visit to the area was the second weekend of November, just a handful of months after he announced he was no longer running for president while at his North Shores home.

Over the past four years, Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden have ridden their bikes on the Gordons Pond Trail, visited a handful of restaurants and even took in a movie at the Movies at Midway.

They ate a couple of those public meals at Egg on Rehoboth Avenue.

Missy Postles, Egg owner, said hopefully the recent retirement means they’ll be in the restaurant more. Before being president, he and Jill would ride their bikes to the restaurant, she said.

“It’s always been an honor that they chose here to eat,” said Postles. “He was always so nice when he came in. I wish him a peaceful and happy retirement.”

Another one of Biden’s local go-to spots was St. Edmond Catholic Church on King Charles Avenue. It wasn’t always easy for church officials and staff.

Father William Cocco said the Secret Service would sweep the building every single time and other parishioners would have to wait in line to get in sometimes. Some parishioners weren’t happy with Biden’s pro-choice stance on abortion and they shared those opinions, he said.

“Some didn’t think he should be allowed to take communion,” said Cocco. “My take on the situation is that everyone who walks through those doors is a sinner, and if we didn’t let in sinners, the church would be empty.”

Yvonne Bailey, business manager for the church, said people would show up to attend church services while he was in town because they were fans, while one time a man showed up demanding to know where he lived. The last couple of times, there have been protestors because of his stance on the Israel/Palestine conflict in Gaza, so the church had uniformed police inside in addition to the Secret Service.

“They weren’t happy, but the Secret Service was only there to protect the president, and we didn’t want anything to happen to anyone else,” said Bailey.

Jeff Sellman, North Shores Board of Governors executive, declined to comment on the experience of having a president in the community. From Day 1, the policy has been not to comment, he said.

Sellman did reach out to the board, but he said they didn’t want to comment about any individual community member.

Shortly after Biden became president, a handful of security measures were put in place by the Secret Service and then enforced by local law enforcement.

Biden’s house in North Shores is around the corner from the Gordons Pond parking lot. When he visited, Marine One often landed in the parking lot.

Michael Globetti, DNREC spokesperson, said the department’s Delaware Natural Resources Police have been informed that the Secret Service has no plans to use the Gordons Pond parking lot as they have previously done when Biden comes to Rehoboth. His security detail and footprint are different as a former president, he said, adding the department's police will continue to work with the Secret Service should they need assistance when Biden visits Rehoboth.

Another security measure put in place at the beginning of Biden’s presidency was the establishment of two security zones near his home for when he is in town – there was one in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. It’s not clear if those zones will be implemented going into the future.

A representative from the U.S. Coast Guard’s 5th District, which oversees activities from South Carolina to New Jersey, said the enforcement of those zones is up to the Secret Service.

Alexi Worley, U.S. Secret Service spokesperson, out of concern for operational security, said the Secret Service does not discuss the means and methods used for its protective operations.

“We work closely with our federal, state and local partners to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for our protectees, while minimizing impact to the public,” said Worley. “In the event of any future changes to maritime security zones, they will be communicated to the public as is standard.”