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The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be offered Secret Service protection.

Following an assassination attempt at former President Trump’s rally on Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that “In light of this weekend’s events, the president has directed me to work with the Secret Service to provide protection for Robert Kennedy Jr.”

Following the news, RFK released a statement saying, “Thank you to President Biden for granting me Secret Service protection. And I am so grateful to Gavin deBecker & Associates for keeping me safe for the last 15 months of my Presidential campaign.”

This development comes hours after Trump called for Kennedy to recieve a secret service detail. He said on Truth Social that it is “imperative” for Kennedy to receive protection “immediately.” He pointed to RFK’s family history, saying, “Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!” Kennedy’s father, former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, were both assassinated. Despite Kennedy’s previous attempts to secure protection, he was denied a detail by the Department of Homeland Security multiple times.

The Secret Service is authorized to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. The responsibility of determining which candidates qualify as “major” lies with the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with an advisory committee of House and Senate leadership.