Threats Targeting Trump’s Cabinet Picks Under Investigation
Several key appointments within President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming Cabinet have recently faced alarming threats, including bomb scares and swatting incidents, according to a statement from Trump’s transition team on Wednesday. The FBI has confirmed that it is currently looking into these matters.
“Last night and earlier today, multiple Cabinet nominees and appointees to President Trump’s administration received violent and un-American threats against their lives and the safety of their families,” said Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the Trump transition team.
The threats varied from bomb alerts to swatting—a tactic where false emergencies are reported to law enforcement to incite a response against an unsuspecting individual. This method has unfortunately gained traction in recent years, according to Leavitt.
Leavitt emphasized that law enforcement acted swiftly to protect those targeted, expressing gratitude from Trump and his transition team for their efforts.
Among those who received threats are New York Representative Elise Stefanik, nominated to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Matt Gaetz, originally selected to become attorney general; Oregon Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is set to head the Department of Labor; and former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been appointed to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
Read More: Here Are the New Members of Trump’s Administration So Far
Law enforcement is also investigating whether Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general named as Gaetz’s successor, were also targeted, along with other officials from the incoming administration. This information comes from an anonymous law enforcement source involved in the ongoing investigations.
Neither Wiles nor Bondi has commented immediately regarding the threats.
The FBI has acknowledged awareness of the numerous threats targeting incoming administration officials and is working alongside local law enforcement on these cases.
White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma indicated that President Joe Biden has been updated on these threats and that the White House remains in contact with federal law enforcement and Trump’s transition team.
According to Sharma, Biden is “closely monitoring the situation” and has condemned any form of political violence.
Stefanik’s office revealed that on Wednesday morning, while driving home from Washington with her husband and their 3-year-old son for Thanksgiving, they were alerted about a bomb threat directed at their home in Saratoga County.
In response to this threat, police conducted a search of her residence but found no explosives, as confirmed by the New York State Police.
Zeldin also shared on social media that he and his family had received threats. “Today, a pipe bomb threat aimed at me and my family was sent with a pro-Palestinian message,” he noted, adding that luckily, they were not home at the time and were safe.
In Florida, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving notifications about a bomb threat linked to Matt Gaetz’s mailbox at a residence in Niceville. While a family member lives at the address, Gaetz is not a resident, and no threatening devices were discovered.
Gaetz, who was initially nominated for attorney general but later withdrew amid allegations of misconduct involving minors, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. A Justice Department investigation into the allegations concluded without any charges against him.
These threats follow a politically charged environment marked by disturbing acts of violence. Just a few months ago, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, injuring the then-candidate and claiming the life of one supporter. The Secret Service also thwarted an assassination attempt during a golf outing by Trump in Florida.
Moreover, Trump was reportedly the target of an assassination plot orchestrated by an Iranian national.
Recently, a man was arrested for posting online threats against Trump. Manuel Tamayo-Torres allegedly threatened to shoot the former president while brandishing what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle in a video shared on social media. An attorney representing Tamayo-Torres has not yet commented on the allegations.
In recent years, public figures from various political backgrounds have encountered hoax bomb threats and false shooting reports. Last year, the FBI noted a spike in such incidents, particularly targeting public officials around the holiday season.
Among those targeted previously were Georgia’s Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Judges involved in significant cases against Trump have also reported similar threats, including a fake emergency call targeting Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith during the previous Christmas season.
Earlier this year, a series of hoax bomb threats were directed at schools and government buildings in Springfield, Ohio, following Trump’s false accusations against the local Haitian community.
In 2022, a wave of bomb threats targeted historically Black colleges and universities, primarily coinciding with Black History Month celebrations.
The U.S. Capitol Police stated that they collaborate closely with local and federal law enforcement whenever a member of Congress is involved in a swatting incident. They refrained from sharing additional details to prevent potential copycat actions.
House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned the threats as “dangerous and unhinged.” He noted that there had been two assassination attempts against President Trump this year and expressed concern for the safety of his Cabinet nominees and their families, stating, “This is not who we are as Americans.”
—Colvin reported from New York. Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
