Trump ends security detail for three of his former officials despite threats from Iran
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Trump revokes protections for Mike Pompeo, Brian Hook and John R Bolton, who face threats due to actions they took following Trump’s orders. Donald Trump has ended security detail for three of his former administration officials so far since returning to the White House.
Mike Pompeo, Trump’s former secretary of state, Brian Hook, a former top aide, and John Bolton, his former national security adviser, have had their security protections revoked within 72 hours of Trump’s second term. Trump’s decision to remove their security details, which were believed to be provided by the state department, comes despite warnings from the Biden administration that both men faced ongoing threats from Iran due to actions they took following Trump’s orders during his first term as president.
Trump’s first administration had been particularly aggressive towards Iran. Most notably, Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Iran’s most powerful general, Qassem Suleimani, in early 2020. Under US protocol, senior officials other than former presidents and their spouses are not automatically guaranteed ongoing protection. But US intelligence agencies deemed Hook, Pompeo and Bolton to be under significant risk, which prompted the Biden administration to grant them protection.
The new Trump administration had been briefed by Biden officials on the continued threats to the three former Trump administration members but the decision was made regardless to pull the security detail, according to reporting from the New York Times.
