A number of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks have been targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks, the president-elect’s transition team has said.
Matt Gaetz, former nominee for attorney general, and Elise Stefanik, Trump’s choice to be his next U.N. ambassador, are among those said to have been subjected to threats that are now being investigated by the FBI.
In a statement, the agency said it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”
Swatting is when emergency responders are sent to someone’s home because of a fake call.
“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,” incoming White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting.’ In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.”
Elise Stefanik
Elise Stefanik, Trump’s choice to be his next U.N. ambassador, was one of those targeted. Her office said in a statement that on Wednesday morning, she was driving home to her Saratoga County residence from Washington along with her husband and their 3-year-old son to celebrate Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat at their home.
“New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism,” her office said. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7.”
Matt Gaetz
The Okaloosa County sheriff’s office in Florida said on Facebook that it had “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.”
Gaetz was Trump’s nominee for attorney general for eight days before he stepped aside amid an investigation into allegations of sex trafficking and sex with a minor, claims Gaetz has repeatedly denied.
The sheriff’s office said that a family member of Gaetz’s lives at the targeted home, but they added that “former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.”
Lee Zeldin
Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, said in a statement that his home was targeted with the threat of a pipe bomb with a message described as “pro-Palestinian.”
Zeldin, who is Jewish, added that he nor his family were home at the time.
“A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he said. “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as the situation develops.”
Brooke Rollins
Brooke Rollins, Trump’s choice to be secretary of Agriculture, revealed on social media that she had faced a threat against her family and Texas home. After the area was cleared by Fort Worth police, they could return to the residence, she said.
“This morning, we learned that a threat was issued against our home and family,” she wrote on X. “Thanks to the swift efforts by the @fortworthpd we were unharmed and quickly returned home. I want to express my deep gratitude to the law-enforcement professionals who did their utmost, in both speed and expertise, to protect us — as they protect our community every single day.”
Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Trump’s choice to lead the Labor Department, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, said on social media that she was also targeted.
“Last night, my family and I were targeted with a pipe bomb threat at our Oregon home,” DeRemer wrote on X. “Thanks to the quick response of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, we are safe. We deeply appreciate their dedication to protecting our community.”
Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, is another cabinet pick who was subjected to a threat.
Like Gaetz, Hegseth is facing sexual misconduct allegations, with a woman telling police that he raped her at a California hotel in 2017, an encounter Hegseth has said was consensual.
Howard Lutnick
Howard Lutnick, the Cantor Fitzgerald CEO and commerce secretary nominee, was also one of the targets of the threats.
Lutnick has been active in the media defending Trump’s agenda and personnel choices in his role as co-chair of the transition, including explaining how Trump is set to use tariffs.
John Ratcliffe
John Ratcliffe, Trump’s nominee to be the next CIA director, served as the director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term. He was also identified as one of the targets.
Trump called Ratcliffe a “warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public” on social media when announcing his pick. During his time as a congressman, Ratcliffe fought for Trump, pushing investigations into President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and criticizing the investigations into connections between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia.
The threats come after a presidential campaign that saw Trump was targeted in two assassination attempts. The former president was grazed in the ear during a shooting in Pennsylvania this summer and was subsequently the target in an attempt stopped by the Secret Service at his West Palm Beach Florida golf course.
Speaker Mike Johnson has called on President Joe Biden and other Democrats to condemn the incidents.
“This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump. Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he wrote on X.
“This is dangerous and unhinged. It is not who we are in America. Joe Biden and all Democrat leaders have an obligation to speak up and condemn this now.”
The White House soon issued a statement condemning the violent threats.
“The White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and the President-elect’s team, and continues to monitor the situation closely,” a White House spokesperson said. “Federal law enforcement’s response, alongside state and local authorities, remains ongoing. The President and the Administration unequivocally condemn threats of political violence.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report
