Internet divided as Robert F Kennedy Jr makes plea for Secret Service detail, claims being targeted by armed intruders

WASHINGTON, DC: Robert F Kennedy Jr is urging the American public to help him persuade the Biden administration to provide him with a Secret Service detail.

The 70-year-old claims that he has been targeted multiple times at his home and during his campaign, according to Mediaite.

The independent presidential candidate shared a nearly three-minute campaign video on social media to explain why he is requesting his supporters to sign a petition urging for his protection.

What did Robert F Kennedy Jr say in the video?

“You might have heard that yet another intruder broke into my house this week, and returned to my house again shortly after the police released him,” Kennedy Jr said in the video.

He continued, “Last month, an armed gunman using falsified US Marshal badges and phony federal ID, and carrying an arsenal in his backpack, tried to approach me at a speech in Los Angeles, a short distance from where my dad was assassinated.”

“However, President Biden has made the historic decision to deny me a Secret Service detail,” the presidential hopeful added.

“I’m the only one whose request in history has ever been denied. I don’t spend time worrying about my personal safety, but I do worry about the safety of my family, and their sense of well-being. And about the safety of bystanders if there happens to be a more serious incident.”

Kennedy Jr's father, Senator Robert F Kennedy, and his uncle, former President John F Kennedy, were both assassinated in the 1960s.

Kennedy Jr mentioned that "every presidential candidate since the 1970s who’s asked for protection has received it," including his uncle, Ted Kennedy, in 1980.

He claimed that the Secret Service's threat assessment concluded that he was at a heightened risk. Additionally, RFK Jr accused President Joe Biden of making a deliberate political decision to leave him unprotected.

Per CNN, “Federal law authorizes Secret Service protection for ‘major’ presidential and vice presidential candidates,” to be determined by the secretary of Homeland Security.

Kennedy Jr's recent polling results indicate that he holds 13% of the vote in a three-way race against Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Kennedy Jr expressed confidence in his ability to secure the election with only 33% of the vote, affirming that he’s already "close to that in a bunch of states."

In March, RFK Jr disclosed to Fox News that his campaign accumulated $1.4 million in debt from payments to a private security firm for his protection.

Internet divided as RFK Jr implores Biden administration for Secret Service detail

One X user claimed, "RFKJ is barely on the ballot, only in six states. Why is he "owed" SS protection? He's counting on the "Kennedy" name for this latest demand. At this stage, he can pay for it himself."

Another user argued, "The Pres doesn't make that decison #1. #2 SS protection is given to candidates ONLY w/in 120 days of the Election. #3 Candidates must have a set % of standing among potential voters to qualify. He knows all of this. Stop blaming the Pres. He can also afford own security."

Another user wrote, "One needs to be a legitimate candidate."

One X user remarked, "That's crazy that they won't provide him protection. I would hope he has guards. The Kennedy's have been a national treasure. This is upsetting. I'd rather they send protection to him than Trump after J6."

Another user said, "Robert Kennedy Jr. has faced threats to his safety and deserves the protection of the Secret Service. As the son and nephew of assassinated political figures, the risks he faces are real. #ProtectRFKJr now!"

Finally, this user tweeted, "I’ll never vote for him but Biden is a real prick for not giving him protection."

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