Trump revokes security details of Pompeo and others despite threats from Iran

President Trump revoked the security protection of his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and his former top aide, Brian Hook, despite warnings from the Biden administration that the two men were under constant threat from Iran because of actions they had taken on behalf of Mr. Trump, four people with knowledge of the matter said Thursday.

Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook took part in an aggressive posture against Iran during the first Trump presidency, notably during the drone strike that killed powerful Iranian general Qassim Suleimani in early 2020.

Mr. Trump also remains under threat because of this action, and his advisers have regularly stressed the seriousness of the situation between his two terms.

Pompeo and Hook had their security information, reportedly provided by the State Department, removed Tuesday, one of the people briefed on the matter said. The day before, Mr. Trump withdrew information from the U.S. Secret Service about John R. Bolton, who was Mr. Trump’s third national security adviser and who also faces threats.

With the exception of former presidents and their spouses, top U.S. officials do not automatically receive continued protection. But the intelligence community’s threat assessments that the level of risk remained for Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Hook and Mr. Bolton were the basis for the Biden administration granting them that level of risk.

Mr. Biden’s administration had privately briefed the incoming Trump administration about Iran’s continued threats against former Trump officials, including Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Hook and Mr. Bolton, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Mr. Bolton said he had also been personally informed of the Biden administration’s threats.

“Just late last week, two separate government officials, two separate government agencies called,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “They said our current assessment is that the threat level remains the same. »

A Trump spokesperson and a State Department official did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Mr. Pompeo declined to comment. Mr. Hook declined to comment.

Mr. Bolton parted ways with the first Trump administration on bad terms, wrote a tell-all book about his tenure and was deeply critical of Mr. Trump. But it is less clear why the president would order the removal of security details of Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook, who have supported him.

Mr. Trump told people he did not want anyone working for him who worked under Mr. Pompeo during his first term. A few days ago, he removed Mr. Hook from the presidential appointment at the Wilson Center for Scholars via a social media post.