Several of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and White House staff picks have received “numerous bomb threats” and police have received hoax threat calls about bombs in the homes of targets, with the FBI and police launching investigations into incidents that took place on Tuesday, the 26th and Wednesday, the 27th of November, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
Threats were made to at least nine people nominated by Trump to head the departments of Defence, Housing, Agriculture and Labour, as well as the UN ambassador, among others.
“We take all potential threats seriously and, as always, urge the public to immediately report anything they find suspicious to law enforcement,” an FBI spokesman said.
Trump transition team spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said the people nominated by Trump “were subjected to violent, un-American threats against their lives and those who live with them”.
She said that “law enforcement acted swiftly to ensure” their safety.
“With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” she said.
Neither Leavitt nor the FBI named which of the nominees was threatened. According to media reports, none of the victims this week were protected by the US Secret Service.
Elise Stefanik, Trump’s nominee for UN ambassador, was the first to report a bomb threat at her family home as she was on her way to New York to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defence nominee, also confirmed that he had received a threat after police arrived at his home to report a “credible pipe bomb threat”, telling on X: “I will not be bullied or intimidated. Never.”
Lee Zeldin also confirmed the “pipe bomb threat” with a “pro-Palestinian message” on X, while Brooke Rollins on X thanked Fort Worth police for their “swift efforts” to investigate the threat to her family on Wednesday morning.
Scott Turner and Lori Chavez-Deremer also wrote on social media that they had been victims and promised that this would not deter them.
Matt Gaetz, who recently dropped out of the race for US Attorney General, and his replacement Pam Bondi, as well as future White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, have also received threats. Howard Lutnick and John Ratcliffe have also reportedly been targeted.
The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden was aware of the incidents.
“The White House is in contact with federal law enforcement authorities and the President-elect’s team and continues to monitor the situation closely,” the statement said.
The US Capitol Police, which guards Congress, said in a statement that it was cooperating with federal law enforcement authorities regarding any threats, but declined to provide further details “to reduce the risk of copycat attacks”.
Similar hoax tactics have recently been used against other high-profile political figures, as reported, including judges and prosecutors overseeing criminal cases against Trump.
As reported, last year, many U.S. politicians were victims of swatting during Christmas. Most were Republicans, but some Democrats were also targeted.