White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has been given a U.S. Secret Service protective detail, an unusual move that follows the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month. Press secretaries rarely receive such protection, but officials cite rising threats in a tense political climate. Leavitt, a former Trump campaign aide, has become a prominent defender of President Trump, drawing both attention and scrutiny. The decision comes as Congress debates $58 million in additional security funding for officials across government.
Authorities identified Tyler Robinson as the suspect in Kirk’s killing, describing him as a lone gunman with increasingly extreme leftist views. He allegedly fired a single shot from about 200 yards away during Kirk’s Utah Valley University event.