Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will now receive Secret Service protection in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend.
“We are facing a heightened and rapidly changing threat,” stated Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a White House briefing on Monday. “Following the events of this past weekend, the President has instructed me to collaborate with the Secret Service to ensure the safety of Robert Kennedy Jr. before and after the recent incidents.”
Despite Kennedy’s low odds in the presidential race, his campaign has been requesting Secret Service protection for nearly a year, citing various incidents. These incidents include repeated trespassing at Kennedy’s Los Angeles home and an individual showing up armed and impersonating a federal officer at a campaign event.
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The Secret Service is mandated to protect major presidential and vice-presidential candidates as designated by Mayorkas. However, the Homeland Security secretary has the discretion to provide protection to third-party candidates polling at 20% or higher of the Real Clear Politics National Average for a continuous 30-day period. Kennedy’s current polling is around 9.4% based on data from polls.
Kennedy has argued that candidates with lower polling numbers have received Secret Service protection, emphasizing the elevated risks due to his family history. His father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 while running for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963.
Trump echoed Kennedy’s sentiment on Truth Social, stating, “Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!”
Kennedy, who had been relying on private security, expressed gratitude to President Biden for the Secret Service protection.
Thank you to President Biden for granting me Secret Service protection. And I am so grateful to Gavin deBecker & Associates for keeping me safe for the last 15 months of my Presidential campaign.
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 15, 2024
Mayorkas also announced adjustments to the security measures for President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Trump. With Trump choosing Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, security will extend to him as well.
The Secret Service’s protocols have faced scrutiny following the recent incident, with questions on how it was allowed to happen. President Biden has ordered an independent review of the security at the rally.
