Several individuals nominated for cabinet positions in Donald Trump’s soon-to-be-formed administration, as well as members of his White House team, have received bomb threats, said the FBI.
The threats, coupled with hoax calls designed to deploy police to targeted residences, have placed at least nine individuals under scrutiny, including Trump’s nominee for the position of US Ambassador to the United Nations, reports the BBC.
The threats were made on Tuesday night and Wednesday, prompting ongoing investigations by local law enforcement. FBI officials revealed that these incidents also involved false alarm calls intended to mobilise police forces to the homes of the intended victims.
The targeted individuals include Trump’s nominees for Defence, Housing, Agriculture, and Labour Secretary positions, alongside Elise Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman from New York nominated as the US Ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik’s family home was threatened with a bomb attack as she returned to New York with her husband and three-year-old son for Thanksgiving celebrations. Her office confirmed she was notified about the threat during her journey from Washington.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Defence Secretary, shared in an X (formerly Twitter) post that a police officer visited his home early Wednesday morning to inform him of a pipe bomb threat. At the time, his seven children were asleep inside the residence.
Similarly, Lee Zeldin, nominated by Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, reported a bomb threat to his home that included pro-Palestinian messages. Zeldin expressed gratitude to local authorities for their prompt action, noting that neither he nor his family was present at the time of the threat.
Additional targets include Brooke Rollins, nominated for Agriculture Secretary; Scott Turner, nominated for Housing Secretary; and Lori Chavez-DeRemer, nominated for Labour Secretary. Each has reported receiving similar threats.
Controversial Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who recently withdrew his nomination as Trump’s Attorney General amid widespread criticism, was also among those threatened.
In response to these incidents, Caroline Levitt, spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, stated, “The President’s nominees and their families have been subjected to violent and un-American threats.” She added that law enforcement agencies acted swiftly to ensure the safety of those targeted.
The FBI and Levitt have refrained from disclosing the names of all individuals who received threats.
The White House confirmed in a statement that President Joe Biden has been informed about the series of threats. The situation has further escalated tensions surrounding Trump’s transition to power.
