Trump Revokes Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Security Detail Despite Alleged Threat From Iran
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has had his security details revoked.
According to The New York Times, both Pompeo and his former aide, Brian Hook, have had their details removed despite warnings from the Biden administration that they face a threat from Iran.
Pompeo was informed of the revocation on Tuesday and has not yet issued a public statement on the matter.
The decision came shortly after Trump also pulled the details of his former National Security Advisor, John Bolton, who has been a vocal critic of him since leaving the administration in 2019.
The Times notes:
Other than former presidents and their spouses, senior U.S. officials are not automatically granted ongoing protection. But the threat assessments from the intelligence community that the risk level remained for Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Hook and Mr. Bolton had been the basis for the Biden administration granting it to them.
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had his aides warn the Iranians that assassinating a former U.S. government official would be considered an act of war, a former senior administration official said.
…
Mr. Bolton parted with the first Trump administration on bad terms, wrote a tell-all book about his tenure and has been deeply critical of Mr. Trump.
But it is less clear why the president would order the removal of the security details for Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook, who have been supportive of him.
Mr. Trump has told people he does not want anyone working for him who worked under Mr. Pompeo in his first term.
While Pompeo has never been a vocal critic of Trump, he remains a deeply unpopular figure among the MAGA base for his hardline neoconservative views and close involvement with the permanent deep state.
Following Trump’s departure from the White House in 2021, Pompeo was said to be exploring the possibility of running against him for the Republican nomination.
However, he eventually decided against a run but insisted he was keen on a role in the second administration.
Trump had other ideas.
Shortly after his victory last November, Trump announced that neither Pompeo nor fellow neocon Nikki Haley would be offered a position.
“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump administration, which is currently information,” he wrote on Truth Social at the time.
”I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for all their service to our country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
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