The Secret Service protection grudgingly bestowed upon independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kenney Jr. has been yanked away after he announced he is supporting former President Donald Trump.
Kennedy framed his support for Trump as suspending his campaign, which managed to make it onto the ballot in about 20 states, according to CBS.
He said his goal was to withdraw in areas where his presence on the ballot could detract from the effort to defeat Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Mr. Kennedy no longer has USSS,” said Stefanie Spear, Kennedy’s press secretary.
Would never have done this if he had not supported Trump
RFK Jr. Loses Secret Service Protection https://t.co/FHaodcLWra via @@CDNNow
— Caleb (@WhiteWolfUSA) August 26, 2024
Kennedy had asked the Biden administration for Secret Service protection for months but only received it after the attempted assassination of Trump on July 13.
By law, the Secret Service is required to protect what are considered major presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of the election. Other candidates can be protected, as well.
Why didn’t The Democrat leaders display at least the basic decency of providing Secret Service Protection to RFK Jr. Both Trump and RFK Jr share the knowledge that the powerbrokers left them vulnerable to assassination
— Richard Dowd (@rjdowd) August 26, 2024
A report in the New York Post said the Secret Service confirmed it was no longer guarding Kennedy.
“That’s correct. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is no longer receiving U.S. Secret Service protection,”a Secret Service representative said.
Secret Service Rescinds Protection for RFK Jr.!
???? RFK Jr. sees security revoked after endorsing Trump
⚠️ Raises concerns about political influence on security decisions#Politics #Security @zerohedge https://t.co/dlqIh1PstO pic.twitter.com/OfZCFATgEa— ZeroHedge Notes (@ZeroHedgeNotes) August 26, 2024
In 2023, the Kennedy campaign made multiple calls for protection for the candidate who is the son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York, who was gunned down in 1968 while seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, was the candidate’s uncle.
The calls for protection spiked after an intruder was found at Kennedy’s home who said he wished to speak to the candidate, according to a news release from Kennedy’s campaign.
BREAKING: White House has ENDED Secret Service for RFK Jr.
They offered it on July 15th, 2 days after the Trump assassination attempt.
Here’s why this is a DOUBLE DUMB move by Biden/Kamala administration.
They’re forcing RFK to go on the campaign trail with Trump which only…
— Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) August 25, 2024
At that time, the campaign released a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, noting that failure to give Kennedy protection violated a 55-year precedent.
In September 2023, a man was arrested after coming armed to a Kennedy event while wearing a U.S. Marshal’s Service badge. He was arrested on a weapons charge and a charge of impersonating a U.S. marshal, according to KNBC.
Secret Service protection was not forthcoming after those incidents.