Trump's rival in U.S. election asks for protection due to security incidents

U.S. Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley, Donald Trump's latest rival in the primary race, has requested protection from the U.S. Secret Service.

Her campaign representatives announced this on Monday, Reuters reports.

While the campaign representatives did not disclose any specific threats that prompted the request, Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was reportedly the target of two swatting incidents on December 30 and January 1.

It is noted that in recent days, protesters who oppose Haley's support for additional military aid to Ukraine or support Trump's candidacy have regularly disrupted her events in South Carolina or staged demonstrations near them.

The publication reports that the Secret Service often provides security for major presidential candidates, both in general and primary elections. Under federal rules, such protection must be authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary with the approval of a five-member Congressional Advisory Committee, including top Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives.

It said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on Haley's request for protection, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Swatting is the act of making false statements to the police in order to provoke a potentially dangerous response from law enforcement. Law enforcement experts see it as a form of intimidation or harassment that is increasingly being used to target high-profile figures, including officials involved in civil and criminal cases against Trump.

The FBI was following up on one such call that led to a swatting incident at Haley's home in South Carolina in December and intended to begin a "threat assessment," according to an email obtained by Reuters in January. Haley said her parents were home.

In the race to defeat Democratic President Joe Biden in November's general election, Trump is reported to be leading Haley by more than 56 percentage points, according to an average by polling analysis site FiveThirtyEight.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the former financial director of Trump's company is negotiating a deal with the prosecutor's office.