Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has had his Secret Service protection revoked, despite still being a presidential candidate in 40 states, after he suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. Kennedy confirmed the news in an interview with Tucker Carlson, stating that he was “technically still running for president” and had not terminated his campaign.
According to law enforcement sources, the Secret Service typically scales back or terminates protection for candidates who drop out of a race. However, Kennedy’s case is unique, as he has only suspended his campaign in 10 battleground states where his presence could potentially hurt Trump’s chances.
Carlson pointed out the inconsistency in the Secret Service’s decision, noting that non-federal employees like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have received protection, while Kennedy’s was withdrawn immediately. Kennedy responded, “The message, I think, is a bad message, which is that our federal enforcement agencies have been…weaponized politically.”
Kennedy’s protection was initially granted after an assassination attempt on Trump, following a request from the former president himself. Prior to this, the Department of Homeland Security had denied Kennedy’s requests for protection six times, forcing his campaign to spend millions on private security.
The Secret Service has faced intense scrutiny following the attempted assassination of Trump, with top officials facing backlash for denying requests to increase security for the former president over the past two years. The agency’s response to the shooting has been deemed the biggest failure in four decades.
In the aftermath of the attempt, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and at least five officials involved in planning Trump’s rally were placed on administrative duty. The incident has also sparked controversy, with Rep. Bennie Thompson introducing legislation to strip Trump of his Secret Service detail if he is convicted, a move that has been referred to as a “death threat.”
