A team of prominent congressional leaders has suggested that Republican candidate Nikki Haley be granted protection by the U.S. Secret Service.
This recommendation comes in response to Haley reporting an increasing number of threats during her presidential campaign, according to an individual familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press.
The committee made the decision to recommend the protective detail after assessing the severity of the threats and examining national polling data, the source mentioned.
The proposal is now with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who will make the final decision. The Secret Service is already equipped with standby security teams, and if approval is granted, the protective detail could be deployed on the same day, the source added.
The person providing the information was not authorized to publicly discuss the security plan’s details and spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity.
By law, the Secret Service is obligated to provide protection to presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their families 120 days before a general election. However, the Department of Homeland Security noted in its 2024 budget overview that recent requests for candidate protection were coming in earlier than usual.
Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump currently receive such protection, which is also authorized for major party presidential candidates following the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
Haley, who did not elaborate on the threats she claimed to have faced, requested protection earlier in the month. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, she mentioned “multiple issues” related to security throughout her year-long campaign.
Incidents of protests at her campaign events are not uncommon, with over 10 people being escorted from a rally in Dallas after disruptive behavior during her remarks.
Additionally, Haley disclosed that her home on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, was subjected to a “swatting” hoax in December, one of two such incidents in recent weeks, according to police records.
In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Haley described an alarming situation where officers with “guns drawn” were pointed at her elderly parents and a caregiver in December, following a call reporting a suspected crime at the home. According to police reports, the caller falsely claimed to have shot his girlfriend at the residence.
Haley characterized the incident as “awful,” noting that neither she nor her adult son, Nalin, were at home at the time, as her husband is deployed with the South Carolina Army National Guard in Africa.
Speaking about the incident, Haley stated, “It put the law enforcement officers in danger, it put my family in danger and, you know, it was not a safe situation.”
For several months now, Haley has been accompanied on her travels by personal guards, who have been more noticeable at recent events. They frequently stand by her side as she speaks and greets fans after the show.
This election cycle, several candidates have asked for and been denied Secret Service protection, including independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
