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Nikki Haley (January 28)
Photo: Allison Joyce/Getty Images/AFP
The field of candidates for the nomination for the presidential election has recently narrowed considerably among US Republicans. Specifically, there is only one person who still disputes Donald Trump's candidacy - at least on paper: Nikki Haley. Accordingly, Trump is currently focusing on the former US ambassador to the United Nations, with ever new verbal attacks.
Apparently some of his followers are taking this as an opportunity to go a few steps further. At least that's what the latest announcement from Haley's camp suggests. On Tuesday night, her campaign said it had asked the Secret Service for protection.
The Secret Service's main task is to protect the president and his family. This applies to both current and former presidents. However, guarding candidates can also be part of the scope of duties, subject to approval from the Department of Homeland Security.
Haley's camp did not give a specific reason. Most recently, it became known, among other things, that there had been two “swatting” incidents involving the candidate.
The aim seems to be to use fake emergencies to cause unrest and build up psychological pressure. The name is derived from “Swat” (Special Weapons and Tactics), a collective term for special tactical units of the US police authorities. Experts see this as a form of intimidation that is increasingly being used against prominent personalities.
Calls to the police caused a stir
Around the turn of the year, the police went to Haley's private home twice. It was last reported that there was a fake emergency at Haley's home on December 30th in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Municipal documents seen by Reuters show that a man claimed to have shot a woman at Haley's home and had threatened to harm himself.
Two days after the first incident there was another call to the police. A person who identified himself as “Rose” explained that Haley’s daughter was lying in a pool of blood. According to the person who called, Haley was also threatening to shoot herself. An inspection by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office revealed no emergency conditions at the scene. The second call was also a case of so-called swatting.
Trump had recently publicly denigrated Haley, who continues to refuse to withdraw from the primary election campaign, several times. Haley himself had spoken out verbally against Trump and, among other things, certified that he was unfit for the office of president.
jok/Reuters