Haley one step closer to receiving Secret Service protection: Reports

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is one step closer to gaining protection from the Secret Service on the campaign trail.

A congressional advisory committee, which includes the House Speaker, House minority whip, Senate majority and minority leaders and one additional member, voted in favor of granting Haley the protective detail, The Associated Press reported.

The recommendation has now been forwarded to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to make the final decision.

A person familiar with the matter told the AP that the Secret Service already has security teams ready to be dispatched to protect Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and United Nations ambassador, if the request is granted.

Haley is the only remaining GOP challenger running against former President Trump for the Republican nomination for president. She has reported a growing number of threats during her presidential campaign and will face off against Trump in the primary in her home state next week.

DHS declined to comment on the status of the request and referred The Hill to the candidate protection information provided by the Secret Service.

The Secret Service is required to protect presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families 120 days out from a general election.

The DHS secretary and the congressional advisory committee weigh whether a candidate qualifies as a major candidate and has filed proper documentation with the Federal Election Commission. They also will make an assessment of threats toward the candidate and whether the candidate has polled at 15 percent for more than 30 consecutive days in national polls, among other factors.

DHS noted in its 2024 budget overview that requests for protection from candidates have come in earlier than in the past.

Both President Biden and Trump have Secret Service protection as they campaign.

Haley applied for protection earlier this month, citing “multiple issues.” She said she had been the target of two swatting attempts at her South Carolina home.

The Hill has reached out to Haley’s campaign for comment on the development.

Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also requested Secret Service protection as he campaigns for the 2024 election, but it has been denied.