Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will no longer have Secret Service protection after suspending his 2024 presidential campaign, but has pledged to still run in all but 10 states in November.
Some are outraged, claiming on social media that the move puts him at even greater risk, after he harshly criticized the modern Democratic Party in his campaign suspension speech.
But RFK Jr. continues to insist that his speech was not made out of “revenge” against his former party.
The Democrat-turned-independent is still running in 40 of the 50 states, but he will no longer have the Secret Service security that President Joe Biden ordered last month to protect the candidate.
The order for the USSS to protect Kennedy was originally given after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will no longer receive Secret Service protection after suspending his campaign in 10 states
When presidential candidates drop out, it’s standard procedure for their protective team to be pulled. But RFK Jr. is technically still in the race and hasn’t ended his White House bid—though he no longer has a path to victory.
The Secret Service is under heightened scrutiny from the public and Congress after a series of events following the security incidents that led to the assassination of the former president last month.
Former director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the attempted assassination of Trump.
Those under the protection of the USSS include the President, Vice President and their immediate families, former Presidents, First Ladies and their children up to the age of 16, visiting heads of state, and major presidential candidates.
Kennedy lobbied for months to get protection, noting that he had repeatedly faced security problems and threats to himself and his campaign, and suggested that the delay was political.
On Friday, Kennedy announced that he would suspend his campaign in 10 key states, but made it clear that he would “not end” his campaign and that it would remain on the ballot in the remaining 40 states.
Kennedy supported Trump and announced the “unity party,” in which they would work on shared values — for example, autonomy to make health decisions, such as getting vaccinated.
RFK Jr. appeared at Donald Trump’s rally in Arizona on Friday after announcing he was not “firing” but “suspending” his campaign in 10 of the most competitive states
RFK Jr. is expected to join Trump on the campaign trail in less competitive states in the future.
Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream questioned whether the presidential candidate was “motivated” to support Trump “by punishing Democrats.”
“Nothing in my life comes from anger, revenge or resentment,” he answered in the interview Sunday morning.
“It’s a bad motivation,” he continued. “It’s like taking poison and hoping someone else dies, so I don’t do it.”