The FBI confirmed Wednesday that multiple members of Donald Trump‘s incoming administration have been targeted with bomb threats and swatting incidents, heightening security concerns as the former president prepares to assume his position in January. Among the incidents reported was a pipe bomb threat accompanied by a pro-Palestinian message.
“The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the agency said in a statement.
Swatting, a dangerous hoax tactic in which emergency services are dispatched under false pretenses, has become increasingly common in the United States, often targeting high-profile political figures.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, condemned the threats in a statement, “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them.”
Those targeted included New York Rep Elise Stefanik, nominated by Trump to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial choice for attorney general; Oregon Rep Lori Chavez-DeRemer, selected to lead the Department of Labour; and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, tapped to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
Elise Stefanik, one of the highest-profile figures among the nominees, disclosed that her New York residence was subjected to a bomb threat. Stefanik, a staunch Trump loyalist, said that the threat occurred as she was traveling home with her family for Thanksgiving.
Former congressman Lee Zeldin also reported a threat involving a pipe bomb and a message referencing pro-Palestinian sentiments. Zeldin confirmed that he and his family were not home during the incident.
“A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X. “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe.”
Fox News Digital, citing anonymous sources, reported that other nominees, including John Ratcliffe, nominated to lead the CIA, and Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary, were also targeted.
These threats come as Trump, who survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in July, continues to face a polaried political environment. In that incident, the former president sustained a minor ear injury before the assailant was killed in a counterattack.
In a separate case, a man was arrested in September for allegedly plotting to shoot Trump at his Florida golf course.