Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has lost his Secret Service protection after suspending his campaign in 10 battleground states and urging voters to support former President Donald Trump instead. Kennedy’s press secretary, Stefanie Spear, confirmed that he no longer has USSS protection. Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service chief of communications, also stated that Kennedy is no longer a protectee since he suspended his campaign.
Kennedy had previously been denied Secret Service protection five times before it was granted by the Department of Homeland Security following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in July. The gunman was identified as Thomas Michael Crooks, who grazed Trump’s ear with gunfire and killed former fire chief Corey Comperatore while injuring two others.
Trump had called for Kennedy to receive immediate Secret Service protection after the attack due to the history of the Kennedy family. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas authorized this protection on July 15, citing a heightened threat environment.
It is standard procedure for the Secret Service to end protection when a presidential candidate drops out of the race. Although Kennedy has suspended his campaign in 10 battleground states, he will still be on the ballot in the other 40 states and encouraged voters to support him where he would not be considered a “spoiler.”
Kennedy initially announced his candidacy in April 2023 to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination but faced obstacles from the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He eventually chose to run as an independent in October 2023.
The DNC has actively worked against third-party and independent candidates like Kennedy by creating a team and hiring a Democrat strategist to combat their campaigns. The organization has also supported lawsuits aimed at preventing Kennedy from appearing on ballots in multiple states.
Kennedy believes that these repeated denials for Secret Service protection were politically motivated and part of federal agencies being weaponized for political agendas. He claims that millions of dollars were spent on private security before being granted official protection.
While major presidential and vice-presidential candidates typically receive DHS security within 120 days of Election Day, there have been instances where candidates received earlier protections based on discretion from presidents or secretaries of homeland security.
Kennedy’s campaign has faced various security issues, including arrests made outside campaign events and attempts to break into his Los Angeles home by armed individuals impersonating law enforcement officers.
Despite losing Secret Service protection, Kennedy plans to actively campaign for Trump but did not provide further comment regarding security arrangements during this time.