Former President Donald Trump on Monday called for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to receive protection from the U.S. Secret Service after an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday.
Trump survived during a rally when a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man allegedly fired at the former president. Trump sustained a minor injury and a bystander was killed.
"In light of what is going on in the world today, I believe it is imperative that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. receive Secret Service protection — immediately," Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social. "Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!"
Kennedy said last year that he was denied Secret Service protection, which the agency affords to major candidates for president or vice president in the 120 days leading up to the general presidential election.
The Department of Homeland Security can consider various factors when deciding if someone is a major candidate, including "whether the candidate is an independent or third-party candidate for President polling at 20% or more of the Real Clear Politics National Average for 30 consecutive days."
RealClearPolitics showed Kennedy polling at 13% nationally as of Monday.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.