Robert Dole, a Republican candidate, with Secret Service protection during the 1976 campaign even though he was running against Carter.
In July, Kennedy’s press secretary confirmed that he would no longer receive Secret Service protection after suspending his campaign in certain states and endorsing Trump. This decision came after Kennedy had been denied protection five times before the Department of Homeland Security finally granted it following an assassination attempt on Trump.
Despite the challenges he faced, Kennedy remained determined in his campaign efforts. He continued to address voters in different states and urged them to support him in states where he was on the ballot. Kennedy’s campaign has been marked by security concerns, including incidents where armed individuals attempted to breach his events and home.
Kennedy expressed concerns about the safety of his family and bystanders if more serious incidents were to occur. He also criticized the repeated denials of Secret Service protection as politically motivated and part of a larger trend of federal agencies being used for political purposes.
Despite the setbacks, Kennedy remained committed to his campaign and continued to challenge the status quo in the political landscape. Edward Kennedy, the uncle of Kennedy, was granted Secret Service protection 441 days before the 1980 election, even though Sen. Kennedy had not yet formally announced his candidacy.
According to the Secret Service, protection is provided to “major presidential and vice presidential candidates” as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with an advisory committee. The agency states that they do not play a role in deciding who qualifies as a major candidate, and that the determination is made by the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with the advisory committee.
The advisory committee includes the speaker of the House, House minority whip, Senate majority leader, Senate minority leader, and one additional member chosen by the committee.
Kennedy has announced that he will be actively campaigning for Trump. The Kennedy campaign did not offer further comment on the removal of Secret Service protection, and it is unclear if Kennedy will continue to receive security from Gavin de Becker & Associates while on the campaign trail.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
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