Nikki Haley is filing for Secret Service protection after a wave of threats as Donald Trump’s latest rival in the Republican race
- The candidate says she has received threats and has formally sought protection
- She is running against Donald Trump for the nomination in South Carolina and beyond
- She experienced a ‘swatting’ incident at her home
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has filed a formal request for Secret Service protection, saying she experienced threats during her primary battle against Donald Trump.
Haley, who served as US ambassador to the UN under Trump and who has taken her mission beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, has spoken of receiving threats and experiencing a “swatting” attack on her home while she was away.
“If you do something like that, you get threats,” she said. “It’s just reality.”
She confirmed this to the Wall Street Journal she had applied for protection.
“We’ve had several issues,” she said. “It’s not going to stop me from doing what I need to do.”
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has asked for Secret Service protection as she continues her primary campaign against Donald Trump
Haley, 52, an Indian American, has continued her political attacks on Trump, taking aim at his age and mental capabilities and vowing to continue her efforts despite the losses. She has continued to host events in her home state even as she went after Trump, insulting her rival by saying he was avoiding appearances because he needed to save money for legal fees after reports said pro-Trump entities were taking $ 50 million had been spent on lawyers to defend him.
Haley maintains a private security service that tackled a protester who tried to get on stage at her event in Columbia last week.
Dallas County Police (R) remove a climate protester (C) who yelled at Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley after a campaign rally at Mickey’s Irish Pub in Waukee, Iowa, January 9
A police officer tries to force supporters of former US President Donald Trump out of the grounds before Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event at Forest Fire BBQ in Hilton Head, South Carolina, on February 1, 2024
Haley posed with police at an event in South Carolina. She has private security, but seeks protection from the Secret Service
Protesters against her support for US aid to Israel have gone to some of her events.
A Secret Service spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
She experienced a second swatting incident in late January when a caller gave the address of her home on Kiawah Island and falsely told police that a woman had killed her daughter and was threatening to kill herself.
The request is the latest indication that Haley is on the campaign trail for the long haul, or at least sending signals that she is.
Her campaign said it raised $16 million in January, the best yet. And she’s eyeing the primary ticket heading into Super Tuesday next month, with a trip to California planned Wednesday.
Haley is trailing Trump by more than 20 points in pre-election polls in her home state and vows to try to get him out of trouble. She promises to “touch every hand” and “answer every question” as she tracks her events.