Presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has chosen “Pioneer” as her Secret Service code name, a law enforcement official told CNN on Monday.
Harris was put under Secret Service protection last week, shortly after presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced the senator from California as his running mate.
Those under Secret Service protection choose their code names from a list that has been approved by the White House Communications Agency. Candidates are often known to choose code names, or call signs, that resonate with them personally.
The code name “Pioneer” is a nod to Harris taking her place in history as the first Black woman and Indian American woman on a major party ticket. If elected in November, she would become the first female vice president, the first Indian American vice president, the first Black vice president and the first Jamaican American vice president.
Jonathan Wackrow, a former Secret Service special agent who’s a CNN law enforcement analyst, said in an interview, “Over time, the (Secret Service) protectees have almost taken on the persona of the call sign that they had selected.”
“With (former President Barack) Obama, ‘Renegade’ is a great example: how he went against the establishment in some of the things that he had done, and like Barbara Bush, whose call sign was ‘Tranquility,’ embodied the tranquility and peacefulness in a time of war,” Wackrow said.
Biden’s is “Celtic,” the same one he had when he served in the White House as vice president with Obama. Jill Biden’s code name is “Capri,” the same as when she served as second lady.
Any family members of a candidate who also are under Secret Service protection can select from a list of approved names that start with the same first letter as the candidate’s code name.
Biden was put under Secret Service protection again in March; he had stopped receiving it in mid-2017. Former vice presidents have Secret Service protection for six months after they leave office.
President Donald Trump’s Secret Service code name is “Mogul,” and first lady Melania Trump’s is “Muse.” Vice President Mike Pence’s is “Hoosier,” and second lady Karen Pence’s is “Hummingbird.”
