The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday officially authorized Secret Service protection for Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson and Donald Trump, ABC News reported.
Candidates running in presidential elections can receive Secret Service protection on the campaign trail. Such requests, which are typically kept secret due to security concerns, are signed off by top leaders in Congress. Representatives from both campaigns requested protection last month due to the strong interest in both candidates, who are currently leading the crowded GOP pack.
"We're getting the biggest crowds," Trump told Fox News last month, suggesting he should have received a detail sooner. "If I was a Democrat, they'd have it but it's really up to them. They know what they're doing, and I assume they're doing the right thing. I would hope they are doing the right thing."
President Barack Obama received Secret Service protection as early as May 2007 in response to the large crowds at his campaign events.
In the CNN Republican primary debate, both the Republican candidates gamely listed their preferred Secret Service code names. Trump said he'd like to be called "Humble," while Carson said his preferred nomenclature is "One Nation."