Trump Transition Team Says Cabinet Members Face Bomb Threats and Swatting Challenges

According to the Trump-Vance transition team, on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, several of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet members and administration officials “were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them.”

These attacks ranged from “swatting” to bomb threats. In a statement, Karoline Leavitt, who will be Trump’s press secretary, said, “Law enforcement and other authorities responded quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted.” “President Trump and the Transition team appreciate their prompt action.”

The FBI is working with other law enforcement agencies in response to “many bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees,” the agency said in a statement. We take all possible threats seriously, and as usual, we urge the public to notify law authorities right away of anything they suspect, the statement continued.

A White House official said President Joe Biden and his administration “unequivocally condemn threats of political violence” after being briefed on the incidents on Wednesday.

“The President has been briefed. Beyond being watchful of the matter, the White House is in communication with the president-elect’s staff and federal law enforcement. State and municipal authorities, as well as federal law enforcement, remain active, the spokesperson said.

None of those involved were US Secret Service protectees, a source said at federal law enforcement.

The threats did not surprise former FBI deputy director and CNN contributor Andrew McCabe.

This is increasingly, highly, extremely ordinary practice for anybody who occupies an influential, or at least slightly disputable role. McCabe explained in a Wednesday interview, “It has been going on for years.” “They cannot risk the potential of missing one actual threat that manages to get past, though they probably realize—90% certain—that these threats are irrelevant and insignificant,”

Swatting is a type of criminal hoax where a crime like a mass shooting or a bomb threat is falsely reported in an effort to get the police to show up at a specific area. These threats in a time of intense partisan politics have been a focus on a wide range of beliefs. Other instances include the swatting of Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over the federal election subversion case against Trump, and Special Counsel Jack Smith.

“Swatting calls are pretty routine and typically target people who are in the news at a given time,” a law enforcement officer involved with these events and investigations told CNN. The official described the instances as “pretty routine.”

Trump’s pick to be ambassador to the UN and chair of the House GOP conference, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, received a bomb threat at her home, according to a statement sent by her office on Wednesday morning.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, her husband, and their three-year-old son were traveling from Washington to Saratoga County for Thanksgiving today when they received word that there was a bomb threat against their house, the statement said. “The U.S. Capitol Police, New York State, and County law enforcement responded promptly and with the utmost professionalism.”

“We are unable to provide any further information,” US Capitol Police said in a statement. We coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners when a member of Congress is targeted in an ‘swatting’ incident. For the purposes of continuing investigations and to avoid potential copycats, we cannot comment further at this time,” the statement said.

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Regarding a pipe bomb threat on his residence, Lee Zeldin, Trump’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency, wrote on X.

There was the remark, he said, for instance that included a pro-Palestinian tone; however, the threat concerning a pipe bomb sent to my home contained the pro-Palestinian remark in the threat, thus my family and I were out at the time. As a result, none of us was hurt,”.

In addition, the agriculture secretary nominee by Trump, Brooke Rollins, blogged on a threat “issued against our home and family,” she reported no one was hurt.
The choice of Labor secretary for Trump, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, told X she received a pipe bomb threat at her Oregon home Tuesday night, adding “This kind of violence harms not just the intended targets, but entire communities.”

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department, said he was informed by authorities on Wednesday morning that a pipe bomb threat had also been made against his residence. The incident “will not be bullied or intimidated,” he said on X.

The man chosen for the head position of Department of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner, also claimed, on X that he was threatened. Similarly, Trump’s attorney general candidate Matt Gaetz recently resigned and has claimed having received threats too.

According to a person close to the situation, the Trump nominee for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, received a bomb threat at his home. According to another source, the Commerce secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, was threatened as well.

CNN asked for comment from the Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service. The official from the transition team wouldn’t elaborate further.