Warmongering foreign policy advisers in Trump’s first term as president faced alleged assassination threats from Iran.
US President Donald Trump has rolled back security protections given to Mike Pompeo, Brian Hook and John Bolton, hawkish foreign policy advisers who served during his first term.
The New York Times revealed Thursday that Trump had revoked protection from Pompeo, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
According to anonymous sources familiar with the matter, Trump’s order took effect at 11 p.m. Eastern Time (0400 GMT Thursday) on Wednesday, stripping Pompeo and Hook, a former top adviser, of their security details.
This follows an earlier report that Trump did the same for Bolton, his former national security adviser. Bolton confirmed the news to CNN with a statement Tuesday: “I am disappointed but not surprised. »
Trump has since defended the decision, calling Bolton a “very stupid person.”
“We will not keep people safe for the rest of their lives. Why should we do it? » Trump said.
But critics point out that Bolton, Pompeo and Hook have all faced alleged assassination threats from Iran.
All three leaders have taken a tough stance against Iran throughout their foreign policy careers. Some analysts question whether Trump’s decision to revoke their security information could be a form of retaliation for perceived disloyalty.
An official in former President Joe Biden’s administration confirmed to The Associated Press, on condition of anonymity, that Trump’s team was well aware of the threats against the three men.
This person called Trump’s decision “highly irresponsible.”
Bolton had angered Trump with his public criticism after he was forced out as national security adviser in 2019. He had served under previous Republican presidents, including George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
In his memoir, Bolton harshly criticized Trump’s leadership. “A mountain of facts demonstrates that Trump is unfit to be president,” Bolton said.
Pompeo, meanwhile, has been less vocal in his criticism, but briefly flirted with a possible 2024 presidential run, before weak poll numbers dashed his hopes. He then campaigned on Trump’s behalf in 2024.
During Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, Pompeo and Hook were the architects of the U.S. “maximum pressure” stance toward Iran.
This period was marked by the United States withdrawing from a plan to limit Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons in exchange for relief from devastating US sanctions.
It is unclear whether Trump will pursue a similar strategy in his second term.
But some experts have speculated that members of Trump’s inner circle have become more critical of the interventionist and assertive stance advocated by figures like Bolton and Pompeo.
Trump had said Pompeo would play no role in his administration. This week, he also announced on social media that Hook had been fired from his presidentially appointed position at the Wilson Center, a think tank.
Dozens of former intelligence officials who signed a letter in 2020 saying the Hunter Biden laptop scandal showed signs of a “Russian information operation” have also had their security clearances revoked in recent days.
